THOUGH there is still some confusion but developments of Sunday have created an impression that things were moving in the right direction as far as handling of the situation in Karachi was concerned. At an unusual meeting of rival political parties, which are considered to be major stakeholders in the metropolis – PPP, PTI and MQM (P) – agreed to take joint and consensus measures to resolve problems of the city. A Committee headed by Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, with representatives from the three parties, has also been formed to give practical shape to the cooperative arrangement for resolution of the problems facing people of Karachi.
This is a saner move in the backdrop of unending speculation that the Centre was contemplating plans to intervene in Karachi, an idea that is strongly being resisted by the ruling party in the province considering it as interference in the provincial autonomy. We have been emphasizing in these columns that instead of opting for solutions that could raise the already precarious political tension in the country, the situation in Karachi should be handled through cooperation between the provincial and the federal governments. The very fact that the three main stakeholders sat together and discussed ways and means to resolve problems of the city is itself an encouraging development in the given scenario. However, much depends on the level of sincerity of the three parties to the cause of people of Karachi. As the three parties are political rivals and have been fighting for influence and control of the city, the task facing the proposed committee would be difficult and challenging. However, the kind of the messy situation that Karachiites find themselves in demands the parties should work above political considerations; otherwise all of them would be blamed for further deterioration. If PPP’s provincial government and MQM’s local government could not improve the situation on their own, it is highly unlikely that the Centre would succeed if an arrangement sidelining the provincial government was devised. Political interests of the parties notwithstanding, the fact remains the chaotic situation in Karachi is not just troublesome for its residents but also has grave implications for the national economy. Instead of indulging in fruitless attempts of playing with galleries, the representatives of the federal and provincial governments on the proposed committee should facilitate pooling of resources and concrete planning to resolve problems of Karachi on durable basis.
