By Syed Kamran Hashmi
Westfield, IN

 

A shock wave has swept through Pakistan after the massacre of 45 persons in Karachi reminding us both about the complexity of the situation and our disinclination to deal with the threat. The incident happened just a few blocks away from a police station which despite its proximity stayed unaware of the tragedy, a pattern that we witness with every crime, so much so that it seems the police relies on television cameras to update their information much more than their own assessment on the ground.

But, wait a minute, isn’t it true that a para-military operation is going on in Karachi for the last two years? And the police is asked to stand on high alert all the time? We hear about its success in the media every day, senior officials appearing on television claiming how Indian spy agencies have infiltrated the political parties and how the law enforcing agencies (LEA), in turn, have exposed their plans. We read about it in the newspapers too with headlines embellished with tall claims: “Rangers raided and captured (x) number suspects in Karachi.” And of course, we get the threats from the Director General of ISPR, General Asim Bajwa through his twitter account: “ Pak Army & LEAs will continue to execute ops as assigned to them.”

Who is that action against then? As far as I remember, all the political parties in September 2013, just three months after the current administration swore into power, joined up and put their trust in the para-military forces to bring peace back to the city. The signatories included everyone: MQM, PPP, ANP and PTI along with the Federal Government led by the PML-N. The only concern was that the operation had to be kept impartial and above ethnic lines without targeting a particular party or racial group. Did it stay that way, or did it lose its track?

Their deviation from the original plan notwithstanding, the question is: What was our assessment to begin with? How much did we think the unrest in Karachi was coming from the banned outfits and what was the contribution of political parties, including their violent criminal wings, in it? And what steps did we take against each one of them?

From day one, we believed we had to contain the political parties responsible for the situation in the city, and to be honest, not all political parties, just one. Should we have focused all our attention on its activities, taking our eyes off the real monster lurking in the shadows waiting for its turn to pounce? Could we afford to ignore that in the presence of an ongoing operation in North Waziristan (NWA)? We do not have answers to these questions, nor would we ever have. What we have is dead bodies of innocent people in our hands who lost their lives not only because of their faith but also because of the incredulity of the state institutions. And as result of their failure, the families of the victims will mourn for as long as they live, their hearts pounding, their eyes burning, while the state will sit on it, confused, indecisive, and lost in the debauchery of political gimmicks.

Not too long ago when the military launched Operation Zarbe Azb in North Waziristan (NWA), the majority of writers and intellectuals applauded its decision. They urged the Army to expand their assault on banned sectarian organizations as well. That was the only way to ensure long-term peace in society. After the Peshawar massacre in January, even right wing political parties like PTI which had taken a firm stance against the military strikes, also softened up and supported a strong undertaking against all violent elements. So what happened after that? Tall claims followed by zero action! I even watched the interview of an extremist leader being broadcasted on television who had publicly called Shias as non-Muslims and he insisted on his assertion during the interview. Afraid to interrupt him with a tough follow-up question or cross examine him with a counter narrative, the host gave him the opportunity to explain his position from every angle. When asked why, the host said he wanted to expose the fallacy in the approach and the contradiction in the speech of that leader. Great! Isn’t it?

 Sure, some blame of the massacre can be laid upon the current ineffective, imbecile and incompetent administration of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in Sind led by Qaim Ali Shah, a Chief Minister with no powers and absolutely no interest in governing the province. However, criticizing the politicians is the easiest thing to do, a fashionable trend that makes you a better Pakistani than the rest. They can be accused, ridiculed, dehumanized and mocked at in all possible ways without any fear of retribution. Although a very different parameter holds true for other state institutions even if their lack of competence results in a catastrophic failure. Anyway, the inefficiency of the politicians aside, do you think PPP is running the show in Karachi?

In the end, I cannot let this incident be dismissed as a law and order issue, because it is not. Anytime a Pakistani dies because of his/her religious beliefs or political views, it should be considered an act of treason, a declaration of war against the state, not simply an act of violence. (And yes, I have added political beliefs in the list as well after the death of Sabeen Mehmood). The perpetrators should be dealt with accordingly, not like ordinary criminals and for sure not like fellow Muslims. And they should be dealt with in the manner that the USA treated the suspects of 9/11 - as enemies of the state.