It needs to be deliberately debated how megacity Karachi, once famous for its amazing pluralistic culture and pleasant peace, transformed into a polarised and ill-governed trouble spot. This debate becomes more relevant in the context of the ongoing harsh verbosity over Karachi between the handful spokespersons of Sindh and the centre.
Habitual characters from both sides have started hinting at some likely federal governance arrangement for Karachi by-passing the PPP-led provincial government. Though the debate is all based on rumour-style speculations, it effectively reflects the desperation boiling up in Karachi against decades-long flawed governance and unreliable public service mechanism.
Besides multiple complex socio-political problems, Karachites are continuously suffering at the hands of some extra-ordinary incompetent administrators. Whether it is the heatwave or heavy rainfall, Karachi has to pay the price with precious human lives and hard-earned assets. Lights and peaceful grace are no more the identities of Karachi, as prolonged load shedding and garbage heaps have become the new symbols of the megacity. It has now been more than a quarter of a century that Rangers were called upon to maintain the law and order in Karachi, primarily due to serious capacity handicaps of Sindh Police. Rangers have now become a permanent part of Karachi’s governance culture whereas the police continue to be more ineffective, politicised and problematic with every passing day.
Lights and peaceful grace are no more the identities of Karachi, as prolonged load shedding and garbage heaps have become the new symbols of the megacity
When city transport projects, like Metro and BRT, are operative in Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Lahore, Multan and Peshawar, a Karachiite is justified in asking why does the megacity still wait for a much-needed facility? As per safe estimates, Karachi is four times larger than New Zealand in terms of population. Let’s admit that managing such a huge population congested in one city is not an easy job. Efficient governance, competent administrators, apolitical public friendly policies and abundance of funds are the most essential ingredients to run the city smoothly. Political polarization and disconnection of rulers with the public have worsened the situation in Karachi. Over time, urban-rural divide in Sindh transformed the blood-soaked linguistic rift. Rise of MQM on the political chessboard of urban Sindh as the sole flag bearer of the Urdu speaking community in mid-eighties rapidly affected the old setting. In the 1988 general elections, religiopolitical parties, JUP and JI, were defeated by the MQM in their political strongholds of Karachi and Hyderabad. The ouster of these parties from urban Sindh proved fatal for the province in the coming days. MQM chief Altaf Hussain introduced the element of Kalashnikov and violence in the political culture of Sindh. Karachi and Hyderabad witnessed unprecedented ethnic violence and a series of curfews. Despite gaining absolute victory in Karachi and Hyderabad, though mostly through gunpoint rigging, the MQM failed to deliver the public in the desired manner. Latest disclosures sufficiently proved that Altaf Hussain, while being at London Secretariat, got actively involved with Indian agency RAW. He maintained a grip on the party in Pakistan through violence and terror. While being a part of federal and provincial governments, the MQM made many secret deals with the rulers, none was aimed at the betterment of their voters. On the other hand, annoyed over persistent political blackmailing of the MQM, the PPP gradually started patronising gangsters to establish a sizeable foothold in Karachi. Let’s recall the past disclosures made by the sitting interior minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza in a press conference while holding the Holy Quran over his head. The bitter fact must not be ignored that major political parties of Sindh delivered violence, gang-based crimes and linguistic hatred to their voters instead of peaceful governance. Confessions of Uzair Baloch and late Solat Mirza are no less shocking than the disclosures made by Indian spy Khalbhoshan Jhadev. Quality of governance in rural Sindh is also disappointingly unsatisfactory for which responsibility flatly lies on the shoulders of PPP. Decades-long governance turmoil has weakened the foundations of the system and created a dangerous wedge of linguistic hatred in Sindh. A resident of interior Sindh feels that big cities like Karachi and Hyderabad are dominated by non-Sindhi speaking communities. A youngster of Karachi thinks that the provincial government, dominated by the representatives from interior Sindh, is biased towards his community and city. Unfortunately, so-called political representatives, primarily affiliated with the PPP and the MQM, are the pioneers of this complex crisis. After exposure of its founder, Altaf Hussain, the MQM posing to be a bunch of pious victims, which seems quite unnatural. As of today, the PPP is least pushed about governance, deliverance and public welfare. Largely entangled in federal affairs, the PTI is more concerned about further strengthening its foothold in Karachi by hook or crook. Any proposed mechanism exclusive for Karachi, the by-passing provincial government will further widen the linguistic fault line. The PPP will also find a suitable chance to shroud its horrible failures and flaws. Solution for problems of Karachi should be sought by making the existing rulers more accountable for their past and present deeds. There should be a deliberate internal cleansing and performance audit of the ruling party in Sindh. The federal government can assist the province with routine constitutional bindings. Unnecessary adventurism or overstepping in the provincial affairs will fan the hateful ethnic narratives, being fueled by India, through exiled separatist terrorists. PPP chairman, Bilawal, should refocus the lens on serious blunders taking place right under his nose in Sindh. It is only the good performance in Sindh, especially Karachi, not the fancy-worded criticism on the federal government, which can bring his party back on the victory stand in next general elections. All stakeholders should realise that wounds of Karachi need a sincere healing touch beyond spiritless verbosity.
The writer is a freelance columnist and can be reached at sikandarnoorani @yahoo.com