DAWN - Cowasjee Corner; 01 November, 1998
What now?
By Ardeshir Cowasjee
THERE is no doubt in anyone's mind here, or in any of the countries which have dealings with us, that all our main political parties, particularly the PML, the PPP and the MQM, supposedly democratic components of the government and opposition, are financially and intellectually corrupt to the core.
The prime minister and his cohorts have manipulated the Constitution and the laws, converting themselves into immovable objects which can only be moved by an irresistible force.
That the judiciary, far from being independent, is incapable of pulling itself up by its own bootstraps despite the encouragement of the people and remains terrified is not in doubt either. It is likely that the judiciary will be in this helpless condition for years to come unless laws and rules dealing with confirmations, seniority, promotions and modes of dismissal of incompetent and corrupt judges are drastically changed in order to deal with the hierarchy thrust upon us. We have more than sufficient laws to effectively deal with all conceivable circumstances, but they remain largely unapplied. The law enforcement machinery, in particular the police force, is politicized and thus ineffective.
That the commerce and industry of the country are at a standstill is clear, the people of the country themselves having no inclination to invest. Of the hundred or so captains of industry, who the prime minister recently met in Karachi at the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, asked to bring back $ 5 million each from their bank account abroad, not one had the decency to ask Nawaz Sharif whether he himself, perhaps the country's largest industrialist, would set an example and lead the pack.
No doubt is also attached to the fact that the ruling coalition that has just been turfed out of the province of Sindh stands justifiably accused, purely in order to ensure its own survival, of indulging in acts of terrorism against the people who elected its members.
The good news for Sindh is that Liaquat Jatoi and his ministers have been sacked and that Governor's rule has been imposed on the province. One of the first charges Jatoi will have to face is his involvement with the latest Bhugio land scam concerning a supposedly 'evacuee property' admeasuring some seven acres near the Mai Kolachi bypass. Innumerable other charges can be laid against him for his aiding and abetting of terrorism and murder, aiding and abetting of extortion, nepotism, and gross ineptitude.
Good news is that Mr Nawaz Sharif has at long last parted with his coalition partner, for once giving the needs of Karachi and its people priority over his own political agenda and in particular the passage of his much desired 15th Constitutional Amendment. For all we know, he may simply have done so realizing the improbability of his getting it through the Senate.
The bad news is that Ghous Ali Shah has been appointed chief adviser to our good governor Moinuddin Haider. His aim is to take upon himself the powers of and act as the chief minister of the province. He immediately made noises about installing himself in the chief minister's house, but hopefully this move has been stalled. The governor has asserted himself and reminded him that he is only the adviser on political matters and is not to meddle in the administration of the province, in postings and transfers and such others matters, and will be provided with an office in the governor's house.
As for postings and transfers under our elected government, to stay afloat and aid corruption Liaquat Jatoi and his partners rendered the administration and the police force totally subservient to their needs and thus insensitive to the needs of the people. A few weeks before his ouster, Jatoi insisted that his upright chief secretary be removed, and went to the extent of announcing that either Kidwai goes or he goes. Now that Jatoi has departed from the scene, perhaps Kidwai can be brought back to get things back on the rails. A look at the transfers and postings in the police force alone made by him during his tenure of 20 months, since he took over in February 1997, is revealing.
IGP Sindh - Mohib Asad, relieved 22.8.97; Asad Jehangir (additional charge) 22.8.97 to 25.11.97; Aftab Nabi 25.11.97 to 30.10.98; Rana Maqbool Ahmad appointed 30.10.98 (the prime minister's choice, superseding over 70 officers - he may not be with us for long).
DIG Karachi - Asad Jehangir, relieved 5.3.97; Niaz Ahmed Siddiki 5.3.97 to 28.4.97; Malik Muhammad Iqbal, 28.4.97 to 20.12.97; Jawed Iqbal, 14.12.97 to 10.3.98; Muhammad Ijaz Akram, 10.3.98 to 4.6.98; Rahoo Khan Brohi, 17.6.98 to 22.9.98; Mushtaq Ahmed Shah, 22.9.98 to 30.10.98; Farooq Amin Qureshi, appointed 30.10.98 (the prime minister's choice, superseding over 100 officers, thus setting an all-time record and antagonizing the entire PSP cadre).
SSP - District East: Saeed Rehmani, appointed 5.3.97; Sardar Abdul Majeed, appointed 12.5.97; Ramzan Channa, appointed 10.3.98; Jamil Ahmed Khan, appointed 22.9.98. District Central: Syed Abbas Raza, appointed 10.5.97; Rafeeq Hassan Butt, 31.7.97; Saud Ahmed Mirza, appointed 31.10.97; Farooq Amin Quraishi, appointed 22.10.98. District West: Abdus Sattar Sheikh, appointed 5.3.97; Sardar Abdul Majeed, appointed 10.3.98; Moazzam Jah Ansari, appointed 19.8.98. District Malir: Sardar Abdul Majeed, appointed 6.3.97; Mushtaq Ahmed Shah, appointed 15.5.97; Nadir Khoso, appointed 20.8.97 (he was removed by Jatoi because he unearthed and seized a huge cache of arms which was inconvenient for the coalition partner); Dr Ghulam Murtaza Jakhrani, appointed 23.9.98. District South: Zafar Iqbal Qureshi, appointed 7.3.97; Ghulam Hyder Jamali, appointed 7.5.97; Manzoor Ahmed Mughal, appointed 14.3.98; M. Ramzan Channa, appointed 19.9.98.
SHOs of main Karachi Police Stations: Central PSs - Khawaja Ajmar Nagri - 4 incumbents; Taimuria - 4. East PSs - Ferozabad-6; Bahadurabad-8; Shahrae Faisal-3; Soldier Bazaar-5; Gulshan-i-Iqbal-9; Korangi-6. West PSs - TPX-6; Mauripur-5; SITE-7; KPT-4; Mouchko-7; Docks-5; Jackson-7; Malir PSc - Gulzar-i-Hijri-6; Sukkan-5; Airport-5; Gadap-8; South PSs - Saddar-9; Napier-5; Mithadar-7; Kharadar-7; Artillery Maidan-4; Preedy-8.
Reportedly, approximately 90 policemen have been gunned down in Sindh during the Jatoi government tenure as against approximately 20 MQM activists killed by extrajudicial means.
From the above, it must be recognized how necessary it now is to depoliticize the police force. The prime minister, according to his minister Mushahidsaab, is still in favour of the metropolitan police system for our city, which means, of course, that Mushahidsaab himself also supports the scheme, as do interior minister Chaudhry Shujaat and minister Haleem Siddiqui. The governor who was in Japan during the deliberations held here last month, and who is on record as being in favour of the scheme, visited the police establishments in Tokyo and has brought back a lot of material to help us all further the scheme. An apolitical governor's rule will be the ideal time to make a fresh beginning on the establishment of a metropolitan police system.
The critics of change are encouraged to review the pros and cons of the proposed system which were printed on page 5 of this newspaper on October 21. And, before they write again, would they please take the trouble to discuss whatever it is that they cannot comprehend with the CPLC chief Jameel Yusuf.