Ad against Rangers–PML-N and PPP on the same page with MQM
Publication of a Sindh Government advertisement against unknown Rangers Personals for alleged kidnapping of four MQM workers has again exposed the ongoing tussle between our security forces and political elite. Rather it hints at the fact that maybe we are about to witness more “fireworks” which can drag us into another serious crisis.
Also read: DSP suspended over police ads against Rangers
Sindh Government, by suspending DSP Orangi Town and ordering an inquiry into the matter, has tried to give an impression as if Sindh’s top political and bureaucratic elite was not aware of what DSP Fakhar-ul-Islam was doing. But if u look deep into the matter, it doesn’t look that simple. Actually it strengthens the impression of a well planned move on the part of Nawaz Sharif-led PML-N Federal Government and Zardar’s PPP with the support of MQM–lets try to analyze what actually happened.
The advertisement in question was first published in Daily Dawn on 5th of October. It stated Haider ali s/o Ali Haider was kidnapped by unknown rangers from sector 10 of Orango town. But very interestingly no one from Sindh Government saw Daily Dawn that whole day. Federal Interior Minister Ch Nisar who, in the recent past reacted so swiftly over a New York Times report and also had the offices of an upcoming TV channel sealed so quickly, did not see it though Rangers come under his purview.
Then a day after the similar advertisement which was now about four individuals, appeared in daily Jang. Nothing happened again during the whole day. However, when the media started highlighting this issue, especially on talk shows, Sindh’s Interior Ministry suspended DSP Fakhar-Ul-Islam for putting the advertisement in newspapers without discussing obtaining the assent of the top bosses. An inquiry was also ordered to probe the matter. Both the Sindh and Federal Government want us to believe that it was an act of a DSP alone, just like when PML-N minister Mushahid Ullah spoke against ISI and Mian Nawaz sharif gave the impression as if he was not aware of it. Mushahid Ullah was later removed from the cabinet but he still is member of PML-N’s inner circle, still atop the Prime Minister’s list of loyalists.
Now Let’s examine another important factor: who paid for the advertisement against the unknown Rangers? The ad release order was issued by an advertisement company X9 with the approval of Sindh Government’s Information Ministry which means Provincial Government agreed to pay its cost. This approval process must have taken several days in which the language of the ad was finalized as well. No one dare break silence over the Interior Ministry’s role in all of this.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Maulana Fazal Ur Rehman and Syed Khurshid Shah had been talking to MQM to persuade them from withdrawing resignations from the National Assembly and Senate, but they never asked them to withdraw charges against Rangers.
No doubt a few of our generals, in the past, did use their powers illegally but this time we all know the situation in Karachi is different. The individuals who looted the country and made the city hostage to criminals, were being dealt across the board. But our major political parties have been trying to politicize the process of accountability. The divide is very clear-PPP, PML-N and MQM have united against Rangers. Political leaders are playing the game of good cop and bad cop. Statements are being made to create confusion.
Publications of ads by Sindh Government against Rangers, holding them responsible for alleged kidnapping of MQM workers is a dangerous turn in the drama but more dangerous was the silence of Chaudhry Nisar and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif over this issue. Many here in federal capital believe that the situation is reaching to a point of no return, but no one seems to realize it.