The Karachi operation

Editorial:Daily Times

The persistently deteriorating law and order situation in Karachi has become intolerable. The economic hub of the country responsible for generating 70 percent of GDP, the city has far more potential than it had been allowed to exhibit owing to criminal gangs, armed militias and political thugs whose turf wars have deprived the city of peace and its economic dividends. Governance in Karachi had been sloppy and inadequate for years now, at times giving the impression of a city without any government. Since long Karachi has not had a peaceful day. It seems ages since any government has felt the responsibility to restore and sustain order in the city. The former coalition between the PPP and MQM benefited each other more than the people they had come to represent. The measures the parties at times took to mend the situation ended up being an eyewash, while the mayhem continued. Now the new government has shown the resolve to put an end to the cycle of misery, but through a consensus. It is indeed important that a broad based agreement is achieved among the political parties and other stakeholders over issues of national importance, such as a cleanup operation against the militants and thugs in Karachi, especially when the political parties are part of the problem inflicting the city. However, if the government is considering getting a clean chit on every step it intends to take during the operation, then it might not be too early to predict the operation already a failure. It is impossible that there would not be any clamour once the operation begins either from the MQM or ANP. The PPP might also groan at some point. So, will the job be left unfinished? In case this happens it would be the beginning of a long, unending crisis in Karachi, further emboldening the criminals about their dominance and overbearing influence over the indecisive government. The temptation to have a political cover needs to be resisted. Governments are formed to govern and unless they do that, their relevance becomes questionable. Already there had been talk of Pakistan becoming dysfunctional. This impression needs to be cleared up and the only solution to it is coming down hard on the criminal elements infecting the entire country. Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif is already in Karachi to chair the federal cabinet session taking place today in the Governor’s House. Yesterday on his arrival he met the representatives of all the major political parties in Sindh. Concerned about the lawlessness of the port city, which has deprived its people of decent living because of shrinking economic activities brought about by terrorism and lawlessness, the premier has asked all the parties to strive to bring peace back to Karachi. He has assured that the mandate of all the parties in Karachi would not be violated and that he is visiting Karachi as the prime minister of the entire country and not as a representative of PML-N. The purpose of arranging the federal cabinet meeting in Karachi has been to give final shape to the plan of the targeted operation. The PM has struck the right chord by creating agreement among his colleagues. But it is now time to act. We cannot waste any more time to reach a broader consensus that would not change anyone or anything. Now that the cabinet has agreed, the operation against the militants in Karachi should be launched forthwith. These are testing times for everyone, even for the judiciary. There is an apprehension lurking in everyone’s mind: what if the terrorists and criminals caught are freed by the judiciary on the pretext of lack of evidence? The judiciary has to show restraint in granting bail and acquittals to the criminals, giving more time to the prosecution to build its case. The same prudence applies to the intelligence agencies, because without their timely, precise and synchronized input, the entire exercise might prove futile. Karachi is perhaps the most challenging job for the new government, which will set the tone for its future measures and actions against terrorism in the rest of Pakistan.