Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Sunday held a meeting with Corps Commander Lt- Gen Naveed Mukhtar and the director general of the Sindh Rangers, where tough questions were asked concerning some individuals in the provincial government whose actions were seen messing up the targeted operation in Karachi.“The meeting with the corps commander is the first of its kind since Bilawal became the party’s head,” said a PPP spokesman after the meeting, which was held at Chief Minister House in the presence of CM Syed Qaim Ali Shah before the meeting of the Sindh apex committee.The primary goal in Karachi in particular, but also the rest of Sindh, is to restore law and order and defeat terrorism. That simply cannot be achieved by the civilian government and military institutions acting independently of each other. Cooperation is really the only way any meaningful success can be had. Yet, it is also clear that the mistrust runs deep and the suspicions are acute — can meetings and emollient words by spokespersons of both sides really heal wounds that are still fresh? The basic bone of contention is the perception that evidence was being collected to target PPP’s top leadership. Sections of media hostile to the party initiated a campaign to demonise it. This led Zardari to conclude that the campaign enjoyed the tacit support of the army. The PPP chief launched a broadside against the military leadership while the CM Sindh told media that his government might not agree to an extension of the Rangers powers. A head-on clash seemed imminent.When raids are lopsided and media leaks target just a few political figures, it is inevitable that the political leadership will fear that they are being equated with terror groups for potentially political reasons. Across-the-board actions will help rebuild trust across the board.With better judgment prevailing the showdown has been averted, at least for the time being. Both the Rangers and Sindh government have realised that Karachi is too big a city to be managed by either of them alone. A modus vivendi was worked out during a meeting between PPP Co-chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Qaim Ali Shah and Corps Commander Karachi. The operation against the MQM’s militant wing and its supporters will continue with the PPP’s support.
pk.shafaqna.com
