Shahbaz Sharif in Karachi

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has undertaken two visits of Karachi in the last 11 days after his elevation as President of Pakistan Muslim League-N. Embittered by Pakistan People's Party's persistent refusals to extend a helping hand to a beleaguered Nawaz Sharif, the younger Sharif appears to be in a mood to exact revenge on PPP in its own stronghold, Sindh, though nothing could be said with certainty about his chances of success. During his two-day visit, the PML-N chief seems to have taken, for the first time, a purely non-Punjab-centric approach to the second largest province of the country that produces, among other things, 72 percent of country's natural gas, with a view to acquiring national stature. Courageously conceding the fact that Karachi has suffered too much and for too long in fact betrays his admission that the Punjab-based leadership had never found in Karachi a 'mini-Pakistan' that provides sustenance and shelter to not only old and new Sindhis but economic migrants from all parts of the country, particularly southern Punjab, in great numbers. During his visit to the metropolis, Shahbaz went to the Bahadurabad headquarter of MQM-P faction led by Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui before he visited the residence of senior Awami National Party (ANP) leader Shahi Syed. He also met with a select group of media persons. He is reported to have sounded both MQM and ANP out about his seat adjustment plans. Exuding confidence and optimism about his party's prospects in the upcoming general elections, the new head of PML-N seems to have come up with an election strategy for urban Sindh as well: he will try his level best to make up for the electoral loss that PML(N) is likely to suffer in southern Punjab from where some of its legislators have recently quit the party in view of the increasing woes of the former party chief and prime minister Nawaz Sharif. PML-N stands a chance in urban areas of the province to improve its electoral prospects in a meaningful manner owing to a variety of factors. One of the key reasons appears to be the Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) infighting that has already inflicted immense harm on it in the recent Senate elections. The PML-N appears to be upbeat about its performance after some former MQM unit and sector chiefs, the most important component of hierarchy and inner structure of this party, are said to have recently joined the PML-N instead of a former Karachi mayor-led Pak Sarzameen Party. Shahbaz Sharif appears to be mindful of the fact that there exists little or no PML-N organizational structure and purposeful local leadership in the country's largest city. It is, therefore, imperative for the PML-N to go beyond displaying the party faces such as those of former federal minister Mushahidullah Khan, Senator Saleem Zia and disgraced former Senator Nehal Hashmi in order to vie for National Assembly and provincial assembly seats in Karachi. The toughest challengers to its ambitions and plans will not be a moth-eaten MQM-P but a rejuvenated PPP under Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Imran Khan's PTI. Shahbaz Sharif must not lose sight of the fact that it was PTI that had triggered the process of MQM disintegration through its extraordinary showing on Karachi's seats in the 2013 general elections. Last but not least, it is heartening to see that Punjab c chief minister's visit has immensely contributed towards federal government's efforts to help resolve protracted SSGC-KE dispute to minimize, if not eliminate, electricity load shedding in the city of teeming millions.