October 18, 2007	Thursday	Shawwal 5, 1428

KARACHI, Oct 17: Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto’s scheduled arrival here on Thursday has aroused mixed feelings among the people. While many look at her return with hopes and a lot of expectations, others are fearful that the revival of popular politics with her return would set in another era of uncertainty.

“Benazir will bring jobs and prosperity”, announces the bold graffiti on city walls as one passes by from one locality to the other. Posters with similar messages adorn the wells of most of the cities and towns in Sindh and other provinces, reflecting the expectations of those who have been suffering since the mass retrenchments of 1997 under the garb of “rightsizing” for privatisation of banks, industrial units and other public sector enterprises.

After October 1999, came an era of economic growth, but it did not offer job opportunities to any considerable extent. The army of the unemployed has grown in size all over the country, official statistics not withstanding, according to analysts and political and economic commentators. Growing unemployment, spiralling food inflation and lawlessness are the usual subjects of discussion in any gathering.

But those who have benefited from the government policies over the past decade — the ‘fortunate consumers’ who throng the shopping malls in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar, Quetta and other cities — are apprehensive of the political change that will be heralded by the landing of Benazir at Karachi airport.

The PPP has set up welcome camps for her in almost all parts of the city. But the presence of PPP is more conspicuous in Lyari, Lasbela, Gadap, Malir and Memon Goth. The fact that the MQM, which rules the city, has refused to oblige the chief minister of the province and decided against provoking the PPP has created an environment of understanding and accommodation. “The city never looked so relaxed, with a carnival look all around,” a senior citizen observed.

‘Deal’ is the word being used by many armchair morality preachers who are convinced that the PPP leader will never be able to get the majority support in the next elections. Then there is the built-in provision in the 17th amendment which stops her from becoming prime minister for another time. But even this constitutional safety valve is not providing much confidence to those who detest popular politics. There are apprehensive of a new wave of corruption sweeping the country after the promised general elections.

“It is not a subjective assessment of the present military-civilian set-up of last eight years that has made us bitter” Khurshid Akhtar, a supervisor in a leather garment factory said. He recounted the rise in prices of food items, utilities, school fees, medical cost, house rent and transport cost that have gradually gone beyond the reach of even those earning Rs10,000 to Rs15,000 a month. Workers and low-category office employees accuse the present government of being insensitive and hence their expectations from the PPP which shows some concern for the poor and the deprived.

Over the last few years, the PPP has created a class of cadre that has attained the basic understanding of economics, social sciences and business management.

Alam, one such PPP activist, now talks about the power failures in Karachi in the broader context of economic priorities of the present government. This class of cadre, in hundreds, has developed the capacity to analyse various issues, from frequent power failures to lack of job opportunities, and even offers solutions.

“A PPP activist is now more mature, tolerant and accommodating and also much more committed than he was in the sixties and seventies,” says a senior PPP leader. According to him, his party is ready to work with any party to serve the people, particularly at the lower cadre level.

The PPP leaders, in informal conversations, agree that they do not enjoy mass support in Karachi as they did in the 1970 elections. “But we have a support base in the city that has all the potential to expand if the normal political process sets in,” one of the leaders confidently said.

What makes the general public in Karachi, and particularly the PPP supporters, happy is the stand of the MQM.