The Punjab based political parties are watching the evolving Karachi situation with caution and apprehension as both the PPP-ANP alliance and MQM have now seemingly drawn and strengthened their battle lines of war of attrition for political and administrative domination of the country's biggest port city of Karachi.
It may be added that dominant Punjab based political and religious parties as PML(N), PML(Q), T I P, JI, SIC have insignificant presence in the PPP-MQM dominated Sindh Assembly and thus have no role to play to bring peace and normalcy back in the port city.
Political analysts here say that President Asif Ali Zardari has played a very cool and smart move by restoring the old commissioner system, Sindh Local Government Ordinance 1979 and Police Act 1961. The Sindh government has repealed infamous Police Ordinance 2002 inducted by General (r) Pervez Musharraf which helped MQM to complete its domination of the port city and become unchallenged political power of Karachi and Hyderabad cities
They said to make his intentions very clear to MQM leadership President Zardari had made his closed friend and almost a red tag for the MQM, Zulfiqar Mirza as senior Sindh Minister who would be virtually exercising all powers of the docile Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah.
Ironically keeping the door of negotiations still open for the MQM, PPP has brought the PML(F) and PML(Q) on the treasury benches to isolate MQM in the Assembly. The provincial government has also brought the Rangers in the city and given them vast powers to quell any protest and disturbances.
On the other side, the mercurial MQM leadership seems to be subdued. It cancelled its protest march on Friday fearing more bloodshed in the bleeding city. It has given a requisition for the Sindh Assembly session to discuss the new political situation in the Assembly rather than on the roads. Besides, it has also decided to fight its case in the superior courts for revival of the local government system under the 2001 Ordinance and consequent devolution of powers under article 148 of the Constitution.
Analysts say that MQM in its fight for revival of the local bodies' institutions which gave it complete control over Karachi and Hyderabad, the two main urban centers of Sindh province, may not get much support from its new found ally PML(N). The Punjab government led by Shahbaz Sharif is also averse to Local government system. It revived the old Commissioners' system in the province long ago to rule the country's biggest province through hand-picked bureaucrats rather than the elected local government institutions.
It may be noted that Shahbaz Sharif, on coming to Lahore from London on Sunday, did not express sympathy with his new allies MQM under political pressure and merely said "Karachi is a city of lights and a gateway to Pakistan and all stakeholders will have to make collective efforts for improving the situation.
However, talking to Business Recorder PML(N) spokesman Siddiqul Farooq said that MQM has burnt its boats with the PPP. It realises that PPP has pulled the rug from its feet and there cannot be any fair polls in the country as long as PPP is in power". Expressing concern on the Karachi situation Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf's leaders demanded revival of the local bodies' institutions which solved the people's problems at the grass-routes level.
They said that PTI has been demanding local bodies' elections in the country for devolution of power at lower level and restoration of the local governments in all the four provinces since long. In a joint statement Provincial President Ahsan Rashid, Vice- Provincial President Amin Zaki, Provincial Secretary Dr Shahid Siddique Khan and Mansoor Sarwar said that it is the time that Military should be called in to protect the innocent civilians and to restore law and order in the city when other law-enforcing agencies have failed to check the terrorists.
Leaders of PTI said that all patriotic people and political parties active in Karachi should join hands for the greater national interest. Karachi is an economic hub of Pakistan so instead of point scoring the betterment of Pakistani people should be the ultimate goal of all political parties, they demanded. Jamaat-i-Islami Punjab leadership has said PPP, MQM and ANP are responsible for the latest carnage in Karachi and it was their responsibility to restore peace and harmony in the city.