Top Brass Strikes Deal With MQM; Supreme Court Conveyed Message

People Pinning Hope in Supreme Court & Chief Justice to be Disappointed; Judge Aspires to be Next President

IH Special Report

By Our Reporter

The people who have pinned hopes in the Supreme Court of Pakistan expecting a firm and specific action to end terrorism in Karachi may be in for a shock as the ‘forces that be’ in the country are said to have struck a ‘deal’ with MQM and have conveyed the message to the judicial quarters to go soft on the party that has been generally held responsible for most of the bloodshed & criminal activities in the city.

People who had already been disappointed in the provincial and federal governments and the country’s premier intelligence agencies for their failure to take concrete action against the terrorists in Karachi had high hopes and confidence in the Supreme Court and specially in the person of the Chief Justice of Pakistan. The SC and CJ were seen as the last hope to save the city, the main business, trade and commerce hub of the country. But as this correspondent has found out these hopes may never be fulfilled either.

MQM's India trained, confessed terrorist, murderer Ajmal Pahari

The proceedings in the Supreme Court’s Suo-motu notice on Karachi situation have been coming across as a horror movie. Remarks by the honorable judges have put the already fragile government under further pressure. MQM's India trained murderer Ajmal Pahari and his confessions of several murders and torture cases in front of a Joint Investigation Team are under discussion inside and outside the court. The ISI (Army’s main intelligence organization, Inter Services Intelligence) briefing to the Bench is also supposed to be taken seriously. Keeping these things in mind everybody specially those who consider themselves as ‘ foot-soldiers’ of the honorable Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Choudhry have been sure of a decision that would lead towards permanent solution of the Karachi issue, but alas it can be said with deep sense of sorrow and heavy heart, though with certainty that no such decision will come from the honorable court that could be considered against any particular party or banning the MQM as being demanded by ANP.

Although predicting a judgment and that too from the apex court could fall under the ambit of the contempt of the court, but revealing truth is such a sacred job for which every sentence can be accepted. The truth must also be revealed by the people inside the circle, which matters in real decision making in the country.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Choudhry

The Indus Herald investigations reveal that in his communiqués to the Rawalpindi, the most powerful judicial personality in the country has aspired for the post of the president after his retirement and for that purpose he has assured any possible support that he can provide even in his present capacity. Meanwhile he has also communicated with the MQM through middlemen that no decision in May 12 incident will be given against the party although the large number of people sacrificed their lives on that day at the hands of MQM for restoration of judges. Thus no further proceedings were held in Sindh High Court for more than two years; neither any court proceeded against NRO beneficiaries from MQM under the charges of even heinous crimes including murder, rape etc.

Pakistan's top brass; Corps Commanders hold a meeting

It is now revealed with full authority by the sources in the ‘forces that be’ that the top brass has struck a deal with MQM and it is duly conveyed to judicial quarters that despite the fact that concrete evidence against MQM is presented in the Supreme Court, no harsh decision like that of a ban on the party or declaring it as a terrorist outfit be taken. Reason given by the Khakis in this respect is that the MQM is a well-organized party with a large number of highly trained fighters armed with heavy weaponry and that it is in a position to gather thousands of workers on streets with lethal arms and ammunition and if that happened it may cause a disaster or even the break-up of Pakistan, sources maintained.

May 12, 2007, black day in Pakistan when MQM massacred people in Karachi to stop CJ from addressing the Bar Association

The sources are quite confident that although ISI held MQM 60% responsible for Karachi situation and all the other parties including the PPP, JI, all factions of PML, the Sunni Tehrik, ANP, Taliban, Peoples Aman Committee, different Mafias and groups, terrorist outfits of religious leanings, the Taliban, The Lashkar e Jhangvi and others 40% responsible, but the court will take a lenient view against MQM in view of the situation that can arise if a strong decision is announced. Indeed some of the MQM related terrorists will be held responsible, few of them may be awarded capital punishment by courts, but the party as whole will not be put in an embarrassing situation, they are confident. The sources further maintained that the Sindh and federal governments will be held responsible and they will have to face more embarrassment.

MQM according to the sources was quite under pressure after the press conference of former senior Sindh minister Zulfikar Mirza and was under more pressure since the suo-motu hearing and it was evident from the press conference of Altaf Hussain. The party and its head were clearly seen under heavy pressure throughout even the last week, but as the present week progresses, the party seems coming out of the pressure. The statements of different party workers and leaders are an evidence of the fact that the pressure is over and they have been conveyed that no harm will come to MQM as a party as it is a useable and reusable tool for the Establishment.

It is also said that the Choudhris of Gujrat were part and parcel of the deal and in return Moonis will get benefit in NILC case against him and will be a free citizen very soon.

This development is of real concern to the President, Prime Minister and the PPP elders, sources maintain. They feel helpless, as they have been given a deadline to resolve Karachi issue as revealed in earlier IH story. While President has lost a trusted friend like Zulfikar Mirza, it is seen as a matter of concern that the Establishment keeps providing its umbrella to an organization like MQM which is considered main responsible party for the Karachi situation and also that there is ample evidence available to declare it a terrorist organization. The dilemma forces PPP to loose its face but save its skin. In the present scenario, PPP can’t do any thing instead of making requests to MQM to rejoin the government. Sitting on the opposition seats do not suit MQM either for many reasons. The coming days will be a test for the government and other stakeholders, but will also be a real test for the Supreme Court. It will be interesting to see how it is going to save its reputation.