The Politics of Corruption and Violence

As the National Action Plan unfolds in urban areas especially in Karachi there is a growing nexus among the affected political entities to resist the operation. The sudden outburst by Zardari on 16 Jun against raid on Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) by Rangers and threatening statement against the Chief of Army Staff are indicative of the fact that the Law Enforcement Agencies are moving in the right direction, are serious about cutting the very roots of corruption and are tightening the noose against the big fish.

The Pakistan Rangers are conducting operation across the board without any discrimination against any political, ethnic, linguistic or religious group. From raid on Nine Zero, recovery of huge weapon tranche and arrest of target killers to raid and recovery of billions of US$ from the residence of a Provincial minister to the raid on SBCA to the arrest and interrogation of Uzair Baloch to Lyari operation to raid and arrest of wanted people from Sunni Tehreek Markiz are all pointing towards broad based and diversified nature of operation.

MQM once the staunch proponent of Karachi operation has now turned against it and is preparing to join hands with the Sindh Provincial government to pass a ruling to withdraw powers vested in Rangers for maintaining law and order in Karachi. Zardari has already issued a statement before leaving for Dubai that PPP will support MQM in case it decides to go to court of law against illegal arrests and extra judicial killings.

The sequence of events which unfolded following the raid on Nine Zero suggests the true scale of unrest prevailing among the rank and file of MQM. The target killers, money launderers, criminals involved in extortion of money and land grabbers arrested during the operation revealed sensitive information about the involvement of top leadership of the party in the politics of corruption and violence.

The confessional statement by Saulat Mirza just prior to his hanging in a murder case opened a new pandora box. During the period of delay in his death penalty, Saulat Mirza divulged vital and critical information to the intelligence agencies about the nature and scope of violence perpetrated by the leadership in exile.

A recent BBC report pointing towards MQM's collaboration with RAW for funding and training of hundreds of its members in India which goes back to early nineties has raised question mark on the nature and purpose of its politics. The counter allegations by ex chief of RAW that Altaf Hussain is a guest of MI-9 in London have further complicated the issue.

Nasreen Jalil, a senator of MQM, has recently written a letter to the Indian High Commissioner in Pakistan about the illegal arrests and extra judicial killings of its members and sought their help to raise the issue with government of Pakistan and other international organizations. This action of MQM supports the allegations of BBC.
The top leadership of MQM in London is also under investigation for money laundering by the Scott Landyard. Huge amounts of illegal and unaccounted money have been recovered form the residences of the leadership. Altaf Hussain has been questioned by the Police number of times and he is on bail pending decision of the case.

Recent interrogation in Pakistan by the Scott Landyard in the murder case of Dr. Imran Farooq and reported confessional statements by the alleged killers that the murder was ordered by four top leaders of MQM has sent a final blow to the already fragile and falling party structure both in Pakistan and abroad.

Based on intelligence revealed by the held criminals, the decision by Pakistan Rangers to arrest Sectors and Units in-charge of MQM who were allegedly involved in raising and organizing militant wing has weakened the organizational base of the party. Decision by Rangers not to allow forced contributions in the name of Sadqa and Zakat has deprived the party of necessary funding and has further infuriated the leadership.

Mr Altaf Hussain has also criticized the federal government for investing extra powers to the FIA and suggested the Prime Minister to withdraw it immediately as the same can be used against him and his party in future.

Altaf Hussain has also demanded of the Chief Minister Sindh to pass a bill in the provincial assembly to withdraw the powers invested in Pakistan Rangers if he was loyal to Sindh Dharti. He has also announced a sit in in front of Chief minsters House against the extra judicial killings of his party workers.

As the National Action Plan is unfolding and is in the process achieving its set objectives there is a growing consensus among the ethnic political parties of the province to force the federal government to stop this operation. Federal government is, however, expected to stand firm on its stance to cleanse the commercial hub of the country from all the criminal gangs by supporting the operation to its logical end.

(The author is defence analyst based in Islamabad)