KARACHI, Oct 30: The parallel meetings of two major political groups, hosted by the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal and the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy respectively in Islamabad, and the decisions taken by them, minus the MQM, have far-reaching implications for the people of Sindh, whose views will not be included in the future give and take on constitutional arrangements.
It is a point to ponder for the MQM as to why major political forces are apparently trying to marginalize them in the bigger game of power politics.
It is significant that in the meetings which focused mainly on power-sharing and the future constitutional framework, the views of a party which commands support of more than 40 per cent of Sindh’s population did not count.
The delegation of authority to Chaudhry Shujat Hussain, the linchpin of the regime-backed PML(Q), to negotiate a deal with the regime on its controversial Legal Framework Order, was a significant development at the the MMA-hosted party. All the more significant was the restraining stance adopted by the ARD components who met under the chairmanship of Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan.
The MQM demands a new constitution and provincial autonomy on the basis of the 1940 resolution. The demands are very valid and can be discussed. But the MQM has not been given a chance to put across its point of view. It was hoping to be a part of a government headed by the king’s party at the centre. But now that hope seems to have receded in view of the strong reservations expressed by the MMA.
Does its absence from the two meetings mean that the major political parties do not consider it a mainstream party and do not agree with its position vis-a-vis the Constitution? Or is it the result of its political brinkmanship which has made them evasive? It does not augur well for Sindh.
Whatever may be the outcome of Chaudhry Shujaat’s meetings with the regime, whose agenda he was advancing from the platform of the PML(Q), the MQM will be compelled to work under that framework, without having any say in it.
If the government is formed at the centre with the PML(Q), the MMA and some others, it appears that the MQM will be certainly out of it, given the stand taken by the MMA.
It is all the more important because the MQM has deferred its decision on choosing partners in Sindh until the situation crystallizes at the centre. That might be pertinent in the traditional realpolitik, but it is time to create a fresh benchmark, and the old yardsticks and hangovers of the past can only impede progress and transformation. It is time to find new ways and create new realities.
Analysts believe that the MQM’s bitter experience in power sharing, for which it too is partly responsible, has undermined the emergence of the middle class, which is essential for strengthening democratic movements and dispensation.
Those who wish well for the province, the country and the MQM, believe it is time for the party bigwigs to dispassionately engage themselves in soul-searching, because a vast majority has reposed confidence in them to protect their interests.
If the MQM wants to accomplish its cherished goal of putting an end to feudalism, it will have to be a little patient and follow policies that not only give its supporters a chance to prosper, but also bridge the gap between the rich and the poor.
The MQM is justified in its concerns and misgivings, and in what it says about extra-judicial killings. But its approach has to be balanced. While expecting others to repent, it must also be ready to do the same. But mere words and semantics won’t remove apprehensions. It can only be done through bold decisions to ensure stability and peace in Sindh and make it a force to be reckoned with.