Karachi. Political Diary.

 Karachi Political Diary. 

Mubasher Mir

Pakistan Day was celebrated with national spirit, due to Ramadan, a large number of people could not organize events, so the events of Pakistan Day were commemorated with national spirit and spirituality. In Rawalpindi, the biggest event was the parade of the Pakistan Army. No ceremony was organized at the official level in this regard in the provincial capital of Sindh , Kaeachi. However, other federal ministers visited Mazar-e-Quaid during their visit to Karachi and paid tribute to the services of the founder of Pakistan.

The Federal Minister of Maritime Affairs and the Federal Minister of Commerce visited the Mazar-e-Quaid and expressed their determination to overcome the difficulties while mentioning the obstacles in the economic development of Pakistan. They said that the federal ministers are working without salary but No one has announced to reduce their privileges. Federal ministers have more perks than their salaries.

On Pakistan Day, we need the same spirit that existed at the time of the establishment of Pakistan, especially for the awakening of this spirit among the youth, it is very important to establish a society based on justice in the country. No country can achieve stability until there is a strong bond between its citizens and the state. It is not possible without establishing justice in the society.

The city of Karachi is currently under the brunt of street crimes. This year, at least 45 people have been killed in robbery incidents for the slightest resistance. Apart from this, other incidents have made the life of the people haram. The new IG Police of Sindh province has been appointed, Ghulam Nabi Memon has been the IG Police before. He has to face the challenge of street crimes in Karachi and Riverine bandits (Kachay kay Daku) in Sindh. It is to be seen how they deal with it before their claims of success have not proved true.

On the occasion of World Water Day, the organization of Karachi Water and Sewerage Board made loud claims that the organization  is determined to provide the best service to the city of Karachi. Karachi Water and Sewerage Board, despite being a large organization, is lagging behind in performance. KW&SB fails to control the Water Tanker mafia. Waste water in the city is being dumped into the sea without treatment. Karachi's coastline has been polluted for several miles, which poses threats to aquatic life, while the mangrove forest on the seashore is being destroyed.

The Water Board has to take urgent measures to tackle these challenges as pollution, climate change impacts. Karachi Water and Sewerage Board should work on water vision keeping in mind the future needs and present a plan for at least the next fifteen years because the situation regarding the environment has become very bad and also provide water to the public at low rates. Not happening.

The important member of the United States Foreign Office who is in charge of South Asian affairs, Mr. Donald LU, who is being named a lot in Pakistani politics regarding the cipher case. On March 20, he appeared before a subcommittee of the US Congress and answered questions from representatives regarding democracy and elections in Pakistan, an event that resonated around the world. Mian Raza Rabbani, a senior leader of the People's Party and former chairman of the Senate, has strongly criticized this. He has termed it as interference in Pakistani politics. It is a very good and courageous thing that the senior leader of the People's Party has termed the holding of the session of the American representatives on Pakistan as an interference in the internal affairs of Pakistan, otherwise the interference in the Cipher issue would not have been accepted by PPP. Of course, no country in the world has the right for its representatives to say that there should be an investigation into Pakistan's elections.

When the issue of cipher was raised by Tehreek-e-Insaf, at that time the opposition, which included the People's Party, said that no such incident happened and that the Head of Tehreek-e-Insaf was spoiling relations with a friendly country. After discussing Pakistan's issues in the committee, Pakistan's foreign office should express its concerns, to the officials of the American embassy . Although Donald LU has rejected the American role in bringing down the Tehreek-e-Insaf government, then what is the significance of the cipher case in Pakistan? But the Supreme Court did not hear about it. The Security Committee had also made a demarche. It should have been investigated in the light of all these incidents, but it did not happen.

For political stability across the country, it is necessary that all the political cases that have been registered in the past years should be trialed in the court on a daily basis and immediate decisions should be issued on them.  After the agreement with the IMF, the inflationary situation will become very serious and food items will become more difficult for the people to obtain.

Senate election date is April 2. MQM is divided over Faisal Vawda, MQM's Aamir Chishti, who owns a hospital and a medical college, is very important in party circles. He has more members in his favor while Najib Haroon's nomination papers have been rejected due to bank default. Najeeb Haroon is a renowned builder, an engineer by profession. He has been a Member of Assembly of Tehreek-e-Insaaf, he announced his disaffiliation from PTI, he also has a construction company, he joined MQM.

The Chief Ministers of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have not yet visited Karachi to pay a visit to Mazar-e-Quaid. On the occasion of Pakistan Day, there was a great opportunity that the Prime Minister of Pakistan would hold a meeting of the Federal Cabinet in Karachi and invite all the four Chief Ministers to participate. But that didn't happen, but the idea can still be worked on. The concept of the federation and the provinces working together can be strengthened. For this, it is the Prime minister's responsibility to create such an environment that political harmony can be created.

 Karachi Political Diary by Mubasher Mir

The People's Party won the by-election for two upper house seats in Sindh province. However, a different situation has arisen in the Senate election because an independent candidate, Faisal Vawda, has filed nomination papers. Although he is not currently a member of any party, there is a perception in political circles that he is close to the establishment and predicts the decisions of the Power House. Ostensibly presenting himself as a political intellectual, his opinions on TV talk shows often give the impression that he is an informant. Sheikh Rasheed has also been doing this work for a long time. But now Faisal Vawda seems to be assuming a similar role. He has also pulled off many stunts regarding his political position. During his time in PTI, there were often discussions in the media circles about why Imran Khan accepted everything he said. Now, a similar situation is being observed again, this time from MQM. He met Asif Ali Zardari a few weeks ago. Some time ago, he spent a significant amount of money on his daughter's wedding, which was discussed in social circles. Faisal Vawda's nomination papers have been suggested and endorsed by the MQM Assembly Members, and it has also been decided at the party level that MQM will support Faisal Vawda. One wonders why MQM is willing to give a seat solely out of affection.

The comments of the Sindh Chief Minister on the expected situation are revealing. He stated that it is surprising that members are not bound by the party's decision in the elections for the Speaker, the President, and the members of the Senate. He said that this logic does not make sense. Although he had been appreciating his party's vision and leadership on the constitution and the 18th amendment, instead of being surprised, he should have directed his questions to his party leadership, especially Mian Raza Rabbani. The question must be asked: why have the members of the assembly been given freedom from the party's policy for these three elections?

In the Upper House election, the People's Party will likely succeed in securing more seats. It will receive support from the Muslim League-N and MQM for the Chairman Senate.

The People's Party has recently formed a very short cabinet in Sindh, with MQM becoming a part of their alliance. Cabinet expansion can only happen after the election of the Chairman Senate is completed. Polling for the Senate will be held on April 2.

The MQM has become a part of the coalition government, but it still needs to resolve issues separately with the Muslim League-N and the People's Party to become a partner in power. For the federation, they talk to the Muslim League-N, while in the province, they are indebted to the People's Party. However, one thing is reassuring for them: they are also very close to the power corridors and will use the same channels to meet their demands, somewhat akin to a one-window operation.

President Asif Ali Zardari visited Karachi after assuming office and paid respects at the shrine of the founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. It is customary that after assuming a high position, Fatiha is recited at the shrine of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and the sacrifices of Quaid-e-Azam and his companions are remembered for the attainment of the country. Although Asif Ali Zardari holds a constitutional position, the people of Sindh have expectations from him due to the government's presence in the province. This time, he has also promised to deliver better performance.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has also reiterated that he will personally oversee the affairs of the Sindh government, and the task of serving the people of the provincial government will be completed. Although the People's Party faces heavy criticism in this regard, they must address public issues to safeguard their political reputation. People are struggling to solve basic problems in both Karachi and Sindh. It's surprising that political parties gain power by making promises to the people, yet when they come to power, the people present their demands to their own representatives to solve their problems, leading to a different style of struggle that appears to be a mockery of the people's needs. Prior to the Sindh government, the Mayor of Karachi also made lofty claims to solve these issues, but there have been no signs of improvement in the water supply and sewage system, which is tragic.

Former President Dr. Arif Alvi has relocated to Karachi after his retirement. The federal government has allotted him an official residence in Clifton, Karachi. Protocol and other privileges will also be provided. Surprisingly, Dr. Arif Alvi has his own house in Karachi and also runs a family business. He could have reduced government expenditure and set a good example considering the economic problems in the country, but unfortunately, this did not happen.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf plans to hold a large rally in Karachi, and Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur has also been invited. In this regard, a video of Haleem Adil Sheikh, the head of the Sindh Organization, along with Gandapur, has also been released. Now, an arrest warrant has been issued for Gandapur.

Tehreek-e-Insaf intends to intensify its protest politics, as expressed by its leaders in the National Assembly. Politically, if parties fail to recognize each other, it will lead to unrest and anxiety in the country, hindering economic stability.

The country's economy is currently entirely dependent on the success of negotiations with the IMF. The impression is strengthening that there is no other option besides this. However, the government is unwilling to reduce its non-productive expenses. People are criticizing the amount spent on protocols and privileges, yet the government officials remain silent. As a result, trust in the government among the people is not being restored.

Mian Nawaz Sharif may make an important decision in the near future to withdraw the Presidency of PML-N from Shehbaz Sharif.

Karachi Political Diary.

 Karachi Political Diary.
Mubasher Mir

The process of electing the President of the country has also been successfully completed in the Sindh Assembly, where former President Asif Ali Zardari got 58 electoral votes, while the opposition, Tehreek-e-Insaf, which now exists under the name of Sunni Ittehad, got 3 electoral votes.

It will be a surprise for Mahmood Khan Achakzai that he has done the politics of nationalism in South Pakistan, Sindh and Balochistan, and in those days he was accepted in the provinces because of his nationalism, but the People's Party rejected him in the Sindh Assembly. put him in trouble while he did not get a single vote in his own province of Balochistan. Asif Ali Zardari won with a huge majority because of his ally Muslim League-N. The power sharing formula which was decided by both the parties is being implemented one by one. The opposition Sunni Ittehad (Tehreek-e-Insaaf) tried its best but could not get the quota of reserved seats.

President Asif Ali Zardari has been elected as the 14th President of the country but he is facing serious health problems. Although he continues to have his check-ups in Dubai, he often visits Ziauddin Hospital in Karachi, owned by his friend and political leader Dr. Asim, for treatment. According to informed sources, the 69-year-old president of the country, who was born in 1955, is facing several problems, including inflammation in the intestines, which is why he has to be very careful about his diet.

Asif Ali Zardari's life is full of ups and downs, including imprisonment and exile. Many accusations were made against him but could not be proved in the courts. The Swiss case was the most important case, the prime ministership of a PPP prime minister, Yousuf Raza Gilani, was terminated through Apex court to this case, but Asif Ali Zardari was spared from his political losses. Accusations of murder were also made against him, but they could not be proved in any court. Among them, the most important case was the murder of his brother - in - law, Mir Murtaza Bhutto. 

At present, the biggest problem facing the new government of Pakistan is to save its political reputation. The opposition has started a movement againsts the results of the election. Tehreek-e-Insaf is knocking the door of the court. Aggressive style has been maintained in the Assembly, while peaceful protests are being recorded on the streets. There was a protest outside the Karachi Press Club before, now on March 10, a nationwide protest was held on the instructions of Imran Khan. Sindh President, PTI, Haleem Adil Sheikh announced to continue his struggle till the release of Imran Khan.

In the federal government, PML-N is the main target of criticism. Whereas after Asif Ali Zardari became the President of the country, he will also come under criticism. The condition of MQM is very disturbing. It has become very difficult for them to gain public acceptance and to save their political credibility. As if proving themselves legally and constitutionally right to the current political setup is a challenge, they will continue to face.

The People's Party was fighting the case to prove its founder Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto that he was not involved in murder case.  They were successful to the extent that the court gave an opinion on it, the previous decision could not be changed. His opinion is also important on the basis of the omission in any previous decision, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto's decision has also been given an opinion, but it seems that the PPP has not benefited from it politically but officially. A resolution has also been passed in the Sindh Assembly to declare Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto as a national hero. Tehreek-e-Insaf is also fighting the case of its founder Imran Khan, it is to be seen when and how much success they get in this.

Ramadan has started, new governments have been formed in all four provinces and the federal government, but due to the sharp increase in inflation, harsh criticism has started on the governments. Provincial governments have failed to stop hoarders from raising rates. Even the previous caretaker government was not able to control the inflation and gradually increased the energy rates and the people could not even protest against their decisions. Now the new government is also going to negotiate with the IMF, as a result of which more taxes will be imposed and inflation will also increase.

If the government succeeds in reducing the protocol of its ministers, it will make a big difference, while at the official level, the privileges enjoyed by the civil and military bureaucracy ,  judges of the  courts and the political leaders, including the members of the assembly should be reduced.  it is a challenge but the weak political government does not seem to be able to reduce it.

Every powerful institution is trying to control the resources of Pakistan, but its role in solving the problems is negligible. The federal government should immediately talk to the provinces to make the system of local bodies active to solve the problems of the people and ensure the involvement of local  bodies in development works. Without it, the problems of the people in Pakistan are not being solved.

In the city of Karachi, access to clean water and transport are two major problems that the party of the current provincial government has failed to control for the past fifteen years, this time they should improve their performance.

Karachi Diary

 Karachi Diary

 Mubasher Mir

A new government has been established in the province of Sindh and the new government has many priorities but mostly the same problems that existed before. The projects started by Murad Ali Shah as the Chief Minister of Sindh have been delayed. People are waiting for the completion of Malir Expressway and University Road. Millions of people are being humiliated on University Road every day. It seems that the contractor is not in a position to complete the work on time .K 4 project for the city of Karachi, which were supposed to provide plenty of water, could not be started in any case and the people will continue to spend their money on purchasing water. Chief Minister Sindh has claimed in his first meeting to reduce the street crimes and eliminate the dacoits of Kacha Area which may never be interpreted as a shame. There was talk of making the city of Karachi safe under the Safe City project, but it did not work.

Apart from this, there are heaps of problems, the activities of land mafia, providing public transport, these are all the problems that the people of Karachi city are facing. People's Party has got Sindh government with full authority even now. MQM is trying to be a part of it. Asif Ali Zardari is seeking their vote for the presidential election. It can be hoped that Asif Ali Zardari will make new promises to them. If the National Assembly fully interprets Article 140A, then no bill can be passed by the National Assembly without the support of the People's Party. Whereas, if the provincial assembly has to formulate rules, then PPP has the majority there as well. Apparently, the MQM-PML-N alliance does not seem to be able to achieve much.

Tehreek-e-Insaf Sindh is trying to fight its case on Form 45 of election results in Karachi. He claims that Tehreek-e-Insaaf had a huge lead in the election, while Jamaat-e-Islami's candidates were in second place, People's Party and MQM were far behind. Their difference was like heaven and earth. But the results were not in favor of PTI. According to informed sources, Tehreek-e-Insaf has the complete results of the polling stations, currently, Tehreek-e-Insaf has filed 44 applications in the Sindh High Court Tribunal. Among them, 20 are for National Assembly and 24 for Provincial Assembly seats. According to Tehreek-e-Insaf sources, Khurram Sher Zaman was winning in Karachi Defense by a huge margin over PPP's Akhtiar Baig, but he has been defeated under Form 47.

Now, while the decisions are yet to be made in the tribunal, those who have been declared successful under Form 47 have been issued notification of their success, and they have also taken oath in the assemblies. The situation of election results across the country is more or less the same. In a similar situation, the Prime Minister of the country has taken oath. It is to be seen how much time the tribunal takes to decide on election excuses. And how those decisions are implemented. And what effects will it have on the government? But one thing is certain that the parliamentarians whose cases will continue in the courts will be scared. This situation is not good for democracy in the country. Democracy requires a free and independent assembly. A crippled and rubber stamp assembly is very damaging.

Two members of the Sindh Assembly, Nisar Khoro and Jam Mehtab, who were earlier senators, have now resigned from the seat of the senate. Sindh Assembly will elect two new senators in their place. While he has offered his services for the Sindh Assembly. After MQM and People's Party got the reserved seats for women and minority seats in the Sindh Assembly according to the quota, two seats for women and one minority seat are still vacant according to the quota of the Sunni Etihah Council ,SIC. A similar decision has not been taken regarding the Sunni Etihad Council in the Federation, Punjab and other provinces. But according to the constitution, a party cannot be given more or less seats than the quota according to the votes it has obtained and the House is not complete. It is to be seen what the Election Commission decides in this regard.

Everyone is waiting for the economy of the country to improve, but the energy prices have been increased by the caretaker government. Petroleum prices, gas and electricity rates have become so high that it has become difficult to do business while making life difficult. In such a situation, there will be negotiations with the IMF and it is feared that the people will face another burden. The Prime Minister has promised to improve the economy, but crores of rupees are being spent on the protocol of the Chief Minister, the Prime Minister and other political figures from the people's taxes, which is completely cruel. The Prime Minister's reduction in protocol and other concessions should set an example that would send a message if he is serious about improving the situation.