WHILE the MQM has much to answer for, especially where its reputation for the use of strong-arm tactics is concerned, what cannot be condoned is the summary media trial the party is being subjected to.

What transpired on television screens on Thursday was nothing short of a media circus. A Karachi police officer, SSP Malir Rao Anwar, claimed in a press conference that two MQM workers had been arrested and had made some stunning disclosures.

The officer claimed the men were “trained by RAW” to carry out terrorist activities in Karachi and that a network of “60 to 70 target killers” allegedly belonging to the party was active in the metropolis.

The policeman added that the Muttahida should be banned for being ‘anti-state’. The party has said the allegations are “baseless and manufactured”.

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Indeed, the past few weeks have been testing times for the MQM, with its headquarters raided by the Rangers, a number of its workers arrested and serious accusations hurled in its direction.

It is true that the Muttahida’s patriotism has been questioned before, especially during the operations the party faced in the 1990s.

In fact, its ‘Indian links’ are often cited by the establishment to boost its ‘anti-state’ credentials. The allegations the police official made are serious; however, the way in which they were publicly conveyed is questionable.

It sets a negative precedent, allowing state functionaries to pass judgement on political parties. It is unacceptable for a police official to make accusations in such a manner, in effect passing a guilty verdict upon the party.

At the same time, MQM chief Altaf Hussain’s late-night reaction following the disclosures was also intemperate and unbecoming of a prominent political personality.

The MQM’s reputation is not unearned, as it has in the past forcibly shut down Karachi whenever it feels it has been wronged, while accusations of the party collecting extortion money have also persisted. If the state has serious evidence against the MQM, it needs to present this in a court of law and pursue the legal course.

Resorting to publicity stunts, or using other methods to crush the party, will only backfire, as the results of the NA-246 by-poll demonstrated recently.

The MQM has a significant vote bank in urban Sindh and is a reality that cannot be wished away. Having said that, the party needs to do much more to clear its name and convince the public that it now fights its battles solely through the ballot box.

Meanwhile, the state must ensure that action against violent elements in Karachi is across the board and not targeted at one party.

The MQM is not the only group that is believed to harbour violent elements within its ranks. Other political parties and religious groups have faced similar allegations. Hence the state must take unbiased action — and through the right channels — to bring all lawless elements to justice.

Published in Dawn, May 2nd, 2015

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