KARACHI CHRONICLE: Peace Drive nowhere

'In view of the current law and order situation in Karachi city, the Peoples Government of Sindh initiated a programme entitled "PEACE DRIVE" for comprehensive and sustainable peace in the city.' There were so many irritating points in this announcement quoted from advertisements appearing in newspapers, that it was some time before I glanced at the long list of major components of the Peace Drive.
If the advertisement could ruffle feathers by its very first statement, it makes one wonder if this Peace Drive is going anywhere. What did the copy writer of the advertisement mean by Peoples Government of Sindh? Since when is the word People part of the title of the provincial government? This was just a sneaky way of saying that the peace drive was the baby of the Pakistan Peoples Party. From that one can assume the Sindh Government is for the PPP and of the PPP and any other political party, even if it is in the coalition, is of no consequence. Only PPP MPAs are entitled to call the shots.
Everyone must have noted this subtle addition to the title of Sindh Government because Karachiites are sensitive to the faintest political nuance. However, except for some old fogies like yours truly would have been irritated by the American spelling of programme because of the pervasive computer culture which has caused a lot of spelling confusion and even grammatical mix of American and British English. All official documents including the constitution are in British English. We do not officially use American English.
It does seem strange that the present incumbents in the provincial government do not care for British spellings and grammar but have a passion for other things British, such as reviving the colonial style commissionerate system of local government and the archaic 1861 Sindh Police Act.
No matter who is in the driving seat, a peace drive simply cannot bring comprehensive and sustainable peace to the city. Even if PPP is the driver and all other political parties are in the passenger seat, even then it is no guarantee they will be able to bring a comprehensive and sustainable peace in Karachi.
The sole reason why there is rioting, mayhem, murder, arson, looting, dacoity, kidnapping and exploitation is not because of political colour and being used by political parties for their promotion. The sole reason is that there is absolutely no respect for law either by the government, administration, political parties or the public. Everyone is above the law. Anyone who can get away with breaking a law does so. Who isn't a stakeholder in wrong doing?
The present spate of killing began for landgrab in the Kati Pahari and adjoining area. It is illegal to build in this place but it has been encroached and two political parties are fighting to establish their own supporters here, often ousting the present residents. No one is bothered to raise the legal status of land grab. The focus is on lives lost to create sympathy.
Otherwise peaceful citizens have resorted to rioting due to water shortage and power outage. The KESC owners were practically blackmailing the city with unprecedented load shedding and power failure in order to promote their reasons for increasing unit price and decreasing labour cost by retrenching 4,500 workers, adding to the burden of job shortage and making the public irrationally angry. Why? How were they able to get away with it? The reason is that they have some big shots in government as sleeping partners, which is illegal, unprincipled and immoral.
The Police force and Rangers are thugs themselves. Notorious for accepting bribes, coercing innocent citizens for getting money out of them, occupying buildings and even schools. Are they law enforcers? They are the ones who least care what is law.
To be in power means to have an opportunity to make money illegally, such as accepting commissions which are just bribes, getting illiterate party supporters paying jobs even as teachers. Setting up their sugar mills, commandeering property and agricultural land and so forth. Procedures are not followed because it means a respect of law and waste of precious time to spoil the incumbents' chance to get rich quick.
The major components of the Peace Drive mentioned in the advertisement clearly show that the entire programme is window dressing, a pretence and political propaganda. They think it will appease the city, allow them to complete their tenure in government and continue to make hay while the sun shines.
What Media Campaign? Can the government dictate to the media? It cannot. Will the media listen to their appeal? No Will peace walks and seminars suggest ways and means to sustainable peace? They haven't a clue. In fact, at one seminar they were demonising some political parties and glorifying others. What kind to support was expected from the chamber of commerce, trade unions and business representatives? I do not think even the government has a clue to that. School awareness programme through debates, art and calligraphy competition will hopefully achieve the target of creating an awareness for the need for peace, but they would do better by creating a respect in the children for law. Young people need to be told of the harm they do by damaging public property, burning buses and smashing cars of private citizens. Eminent social personalities including preachers are requested to exhort the public about the need for peace. Its a nice thought, but social personalities have no influence in moulding public opinion.
As for the mullah, he has his own agenda which is peace at a price, the price being fanatical devotion. Text messages on a one off basis will not register the need for peace. The final component is that the members of PPP will visit major parties and appeal for peace. So the cat is out of the bag. The Peace Drive is a promotion for the PPP, nothing more nothing less.
They held a peace rally last week but it was laughable. Vehicles with flag-waving reps of the MQM and PPP participated. They did not dare go to the areas which really need peace. They stayed in the peaceful Clifton area, but even then were not certain it was safe to expose themselves. On either side were security guards. Symbolically the rally showed that the politicians are more concerned for their own safety, their own peace of mind. What a farce.