Daily Times Editorial Jan 7, 2014

Game of thrones Altaf Hussain is simply not letting go. After his provocative speech the other day regarding the division of Sindh into two provinces or even separating from Pakistan, and frantic ‘explanations’ by the MQM leadership in a damage control exercise, the MQM supremo now ‘clarifies’ what he says was reported out of context (the oldest excuse in the book) by proposing the division of Sindh into area number I (for Sindhis) and area number II (for the rest, comprising Urdu-speakers, Punjabis, Pashtuns, Baloch, etc). He throws in provocative statements about the PPP workers having abandoned Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s dead body and fled to safety as well as those responsible for Benazir Bhutto’s assassination having benefited from her death. While railing against the quota system (which is a measure of positive discrimination in favour of the less developed rural areas), the MQM chief contradicts himself in every other breath, now advocating the division of Sindh on one or the other basis, now waxing eloquent about the province being his “mother” and therefore sacrosanct (indivisible). All this contradictory ranting and raving is laced with threats, including the threat of MQM supporting the Kalabagh Dam, which then would be unstoppable according to Altaf. He claims it is better to talk things out rather than resorting to bloodshed, yet all he has been saying these last few days could easily engender ethnic conflict in Sindh that would inevitably entail such horrific killing as to make one forget what is happening on a daily basis in Karachi these days. Once again, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the Patron-in-chief, and Sharjeel Memon, Sindh Information Minister of the PPP have taken on the foaming at the mouth Altaf Hussain. Bilawal categorically rules out any numbers I or II and will only accept ‘Mother Sindh’. Memon refutes Altaf Hussain’s argument that the rural 60 percent quota introduced by the PPP in the 1970s was only meant for 10 years but still continues by pointing out that the PPP has never discriminated between the urban and rural areas. In fact, Altaf Hussain needs to be reminded that his party was in government in coalition with the PPP for the last five years. It must be noted though that former president and PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari’s policy of keeping your friends close and your enemies even closer did not make the leopard change its spots as far as the MQM is concerned. MQM’s politics can be understood only as an exclusivist ethnic approach that seeks advantage by being included in power whenever possible, and browbeating all other political forces in the event of being excluded from the corridors that matter. Mollycoddling over many years has certainly not changed that, if anything it has arguably emboldened the MQM to pursue this path because of its past successes. The quota system in Sindh is intended to bring on a par with the urban areas the people of the rural areas, historically disadvantaged in education and opportunities. This is a situation not peculiar to Sindh but applies equally and sometimes in some areas with greater force to all the country. Continuing provocation along the lines of dividing Sindh on the basis of ethnicity in Altaf Hussain’s repeated statements overt the last few days is an invitation to retaliation by incensed Sindhi opinion. Perhaps that is what Altaf Hussain is aiming for: a reaction that can be exploited to create an emergency situation in Sindh that will undermine the incumbent PPP government and allow the MQM the chance to slip through the power doors once again. It is hoped that the Sindhi nationalist forces, and particularly the PPP, will see through this game of provocation, which may not in the end be anything but a ‘game of thrones’.