The Situation Before And After All Parties Conference (APC)

Ever since  the  PML (N) Led  Coalition  Government  of Veteran Senior Leader and  Two times  Premier   Mian  Mohammad Shareef  came  to  Power  after  May 11 Elections  in which  they  got  heavy  mandate  from  the  Punjab  Province  where  as  PPPP  was  limited  to Sindh  after  losing the  grip  over  Punjab  Provincial  as well  as  Federal  Seats  during much  echoed  Elections  2013 which  brought  about  many upsets  and   people  started  to wonder  that  How  the  heavy weights  were  defeated  by  youth Leaders  of  PTI  in  Khyber Pakhtunkhwa  where  PTI enjoys  simple  Majority  and running the  government  in coalition with the  Moderate  Religious  Party   Jamaat –e-Islami  .

Whereas Baluchistan saw  a  mix response  since  no party has been able to get any clear  majority and  the same Coalition government is  to decide  the  conflict ridden Baluchistan and face the challenging situation of law and order .As for as   the State of Baluchistan  Assembly  is  concerned ,after  assumption of  the Office of Chief Minister  of   Dr Abdul Malik  , A Nationalist Leader , the  situation  is very ambiguous as  the  cabinet is  yet  to be  inducted. So far , he  has  been  sole Leader  to  lead  the  Conflict ridden  and  now  the  Quake  Ridden  Baluchistan government  where  separatists  have  crippled  the  very roots  of  the  peace  and  people  have  been  living a  appalling life. Even the  Passengers  moving in and  from the  parts  of  the  country are  assailed   on the  National Highways as well as  inter Provincial Routes. As many as 300 innocent passengers have lost their life on ethnic backgrounds during their traveling to Quetta and other Balouch dominated routes. Most of the Killings are claimed balouch separatist Groups. This is a dreadful security and Law and Order situation in Baluchistan But the irony is that still the Malik’s Government going without the cabinet.

Sindh  is  the  same  as  it was  five years  ago  in PPP led Coalition government since  the  same  old  faces  except some  new  faces  made  their  way to the  Assemblies  . The PPP’s long time Coalition  party MQM ,  has  been  keeping  itself  away from the  state  of  Government affairs due  to  their inclination towards  PML  (N)  They have also made their participation in the Government  on conditional basis and their under trial Boss Altaf Hussain went further and  held Referendum on the  basis  that whether  they should join the  Government or  not in coalition with  PPP. Despite being offered  to Join the  Sindh Government on Multiple  Occasion by  PPP representation ,MQM is  deliberately  keep  itself  away  from the state of Affairs of PPP but their Governor is  holding the  key Position and many analysts are  of  the  view  that they will retain the position till  the  end  of  PML (N) government tenure .

ors ,rushing to Dubai ,meeting  Party chief at London , PML (N) Government  has not replaced Governor but rather  retained  the  Governor  of  Sindh  Dr  Isharatul Ibad  . Even he has  been tasked  to monitor  the  Targeted  Operation   led   by  CM  Sindh  Syed  Qaim Ali Shah and  initiated  on the  Federal Government  directives  after  they held  the  Cabinet meeting  at  Governor  House  of  Sindh at after  the  strong  demand  of  Traders and Karachi citizens .

It was  decided  that the  targeted  Operation will  be  initiated  and  turned down the  demand of  MQM  to Deploy  Army for Operation  in Karachi as law and  order Situation was  Abysmal and alarming. after  considering   the  Loc  tension  and  massive deployment of  Army in  Pak-Afghan  border  to  control  the  infiltration, It  was  decided unanimously that  the  Operation will be  carried  out by  Rangers  supported  by  Police  on the lines  of  impartiality  as  no  Office  of  any  Political  party  will be  assailed  on the grounds  of  partiality . So far , MQM has  been  frequently  complaining  against  victimization of  the  MQM  and  arrests of  its workers through Press Conferences   but on the  other  hand  the  rangers  and  Police  spokes persons  reject  such claims  and  add  that   the  action  is being taken  on the  strong intelligence  reports  and  criminal  records  .

Coming  to  KPK  , we  have  experienced  the  worst  state  of  law and  order  situation  since  the  provincial  capital Peshawar  has  become  the  prime target  for  militant  activities  and series  of  Bomb Blasts  herald  the  clear  messages  that   the  terrorists are  running amok  and  the  Federal Interior  Minister  has  been  doing the  job of  just  a  viewer to watch what is  happening in KPK  and  they  do not  seem to be serious regarding security matters concerning the  safety of  precious  lives  of their  fellow  Pakistanis  .

Some  analysts  also  disclose  that  this  may be a  conspiracy  to  fail  the  PTI  Government in KPK  since  it is  very  first time  that  PTI  which is  very  new  in comparison to  the  Professional Political  players    such  as  Jamiat  Ulama –e Islam  , PML N  ,PPP  , ANP  and PKMAP  in respect  of  holding the  important  Government of  KPK may collapse due to challenging law and order situation and prevent them from establishing government in the centre due to long  standing problems  of  Talibanization and Suicide  Bombings   specially tribal belts.

The massive casualties have  already crossed thousands   and  PTI led  government is  between the  devil and deep  see  in controlling  heightened  law  and  order situation which  shows  no improvement  ever since  the  honeymoon period  is  over  as  in Pakistan  it is  rare  to enjoy the   honeymoons  .

If you enjoy the honeymoons, you will be assailed by the powerful goons. The  Most disturbing  is the  Drones  issue  since  drone strikes  are  counterproductive  and  inflict multiple  implications on the  country’s  sovereignty  , Economy  , law and  Order situation and  ignite  a  wave of  hatred  among the  tribal people  specially north Wazirstan . Pakistan has  protested  in United Nations  against  the  drone  strikes  since  they are considered  an attack on the sovereignty of  the Nations  but the  Pakistani pleas  have  not been given due  weightage  by  Obama Administration so far.

As  regards  the  APC  , It was  held  on 9^th   September 2013  and  all the  main stream parties  , Chief Ministers and  Governors  of  all fours  provinces  , Chief Army Staff  General  Pervez  Kayani  and  ISI Chief  also  participated  in the  APC  . It  was  decided  after briefing from the  Members and Specially Armed forces Chief and  Intelligence Agency Chief  that  Dialogue  will be  initiated  with the  Taliban since  Pakistan is very peaceful country and  It will prefer  Dialogue  than  initiating iron hand  with the support of  ISI and  Pakistan Army  . But the APC kept the option of military action open in case the talks with Taliban Leaders fail.

All  the  Representatives  of  Main Stream  parties  appreciated the Efforts  and sacrifices  of  Pakistan Army   for the  Sake  of  bringing  Peace in the  region as well as  suppressing militancy  for  the defense  of  the  country  since  Militancy , Terrorism , Religious  Extremism  and  ethnic  Conflicts  have played havoc with the law and order situation and  rocked  the  very roots of  the  country . The  Rising  inflation  and  rapid  devaluation  of  Rupee  has  heralded   serious  repercussions for the  Pakistan having already  fragile  Economy  .  The  fading investments  in the Country  and  growing security concern  on  internal  as well as  External fronts  have  demanded  to  frame  Strict laws  for  the  extermination of  the  anti state elements  who are  mercenaries  and their only role  is  to destabilize  the  country by creating deteriorating law and order situation .

The Most Important  point which  revolves  in  every Pakistani’s  mind  that will  the  dialogue  breed  positive  results  and  who  will  guarantee that  TTP’s multiple  factions will come to terms with the  Government  and accept  the  writ  of   Government since  they do not accept the  accept  even  the  constitution of  Pakistan .  Even the Punjabi faction of Talibans enjoys their unique identity contrasting other Taliban entities.

But  Before  the  dialogue  , there  should  be  a  ceasefire  and  there  should not be  any  attack  on Army convoy  , religious  Places  such as  Mosques  , Imam Bargahs , Temples and  Churches  . There should not be forced Disappearances or kidnappings by TTP Factions.

The above questions are  very  difficult  to be answered  keeping  in view  the  post  APC  scenario as many as  ten  Attacks  have made  including  attack  on Church  in which  innocent  Christians  were  killed . The  Peshawar has  become the  centre of  TTP  activities and  even  Legislators  have  lost their  precious lives  . The most alarming  message  was  the four bomb blasts  in the Provincial headquarters  of four provinces  at the same day by Suicide bombers raising concerns  for  the  success of  talks  with Taliban as was decided  during APC .

The  APC  success  lies  on the  above  questions  and  if  above  questions  go unanswered  then  such APC’s  will  have  the  same  tragic  end  as  was  of  earlier  one’s  on the  same  issues of  terrorism and  Militancy.  Even some  circles  in  Federal Government  specially  Interior  Ministry  are thinking of  revisiting their  Policy on  Security and  Dialogue  .

They have also  drafted  the national Security Policy which is  yet to get  the momentum  along with  strategy  of  Developing  Rapid Response  Force  to cope  with  Situation occurring  time to time  like  the  Sikandar  Solo drama who made  the Capital Police of  Islamabad  on Hold  for  Hours  and  posted  the message for the Security Policy makers  that he  has  displayed  live  show  , watched by millions  of  the  people around the world through live coverage of news channels  that  how a single  armed  person like Sikandar  with help  of  Sincere  wife  and  injured  kids  leaked  the  inefficiency of  Islamabad  Police  that  failed  to put hold  on single superman .

The Demoralized  Police  have  become  a laughing stalk for  the public  and  the concerns of  public  have to   a  level that  they have  lost their  belief on the  Police  completely and consider  taking their  own initiatives  for  self  security  . The Same  is the  situation in Karachi  , Peshawar , Quetta  , Punjab and  other parts of  the  Country.

Finally , the Government has  to rethink ,review  ,revisit and redraft the  policies  and  come  up with  renewed  , innovative  and  lasting solutions  specially the security  to restore  peace  in the country since  peace  is the  first step towards  the  development since  peace  has  multi dimensional  effects  on the country and  it makes the country a  friendly  place  to live  and  let  live  and  invest  the  funds and  contribute  in the  development of  their beloved country.

The PML (N) will  have  to take  bitter  decisions in  national interest to  bring peace  in the  region as Pakistan has  already  paid  heavy  price  for  being one of  the biggest  and important ally of  US  in war against  Terrorism emerging  after  9/11 Strikes  on  WTC . Pakistan has been facing multi faceted threats in the region including internal threats of militancy, Religious Extremism and Ethnic issues.

To cope with the long standing issues, PML (N) Government should take everyone on board, be it dialogue with TTP leaders or initiating operation against the Problem makers. The Security Personnel  should  be  trained  on modern lines and equipped  with sophisticated  weapons and  equipments  to tackle  with emerging  law and  order situation.