Summary The chief Secretary is on bail while 70 other senior civil servants have applied for bail
Dunya News Report (Shahzad Badar)
The arrest of the Layari gangster Ozair Baloch by the Rangers has created a deep political rift between the PPP and PML(N)- bring to end the “friendly opposition” environment in the parliament and in the political spheres. The PPP has declared that it would no longer be supporting the PML(N) in its conflict with the establishment.
In case of any new political crises rocking the government the PML(N) would be dealing with it alone with a revengeful backlash from a unified opposition in the assembly.
The Sindh government is in a state of confusion, the main political drivers have left the country to escape arrest, the chief Secretary is on bail while 70 other senior civil servants have applied for bail to evade arrest on corruption charges.
The message of breakup and end of reconciliation comes from the top PPP commander, Asif Zardari who in his statement from London accused Nawaz Sharif of repeating the politics of 1990s.
PPP Chairperson Asif Zardari had always provided support to the PML to ensure that democracy and Sharif’s government, were not hijacked or destabilized by the establishment. The PPP stood behind the Sharif government when PTI launched a country wide protest to dislodge the Sharif government.
With the political winds changing directions in the country and Rangers getting a green signal from its high command, Zardari had to leave the country in June 2015 after he criticized the armed forces, his sister too left fearing a crack down on the party.
With zero success in preventing the continuing detention of Dr. Asim and Ozair Baloch, the PPP is preparing to go for damage control. As a first step just like all other parties it has distanced its self from Ozair Baloch, saying that it had no links with him and were targeting criminals in the province. The media has been showing deep links between the PPP leaders who have disowned Baloch when he appeared in Ranger’s custody. Only Zulfikar Mirza stands by him with his claim of distributing six lakh arms licenses.
The PPP now knows that the Rangers are not going to come under pressure as the army chief has vowed not to end the operation despite the Sindh assembly resolution attempting to curtail the powers of the Rangers. The party has lost political support of MQM to launch any anti- Ranger campaign in the province.
Its inability to play the Sindh card has compelled Zardari to go into self exile on the pretext of medical treatment. The PPP knows that Ozair Baloch and Dr. Asim would be providing serious incriminating evidences against the party’s involvement in terrorism and bhatta killing in Karachi.
Both men are alleged to be the main front man of Asif Zardari and accused by the Ranger’s for being involved in brewing the turmoil in Karachi. According to media reports Ozair Baloch the notorious Layari gangster and Dr. Asim are alleged to be involved in helping terrorists and contributed to collecting extortion money for the party leaders.
Ozair Baloch had recently revealed to the Rangers his involvement in killing, kidnapping for ransom and collection of bhatta. He stands accused by the MQM for killing its party workers and creating a rift between the Baloch community the MQM on instigation by Zardari.
Ozair’s arrest according to sources would perhaps provide strong evidences and clues to the murder of Shan Shah the late security chief of Benazir Bhutto and the attack on her political rally in Karachi.
Out of deep frustration, Zardari has announced ending his reconciliation policy and claimed that the government was trying to divide the nation to “to save the Taliban and the terrorists”. The fact is that the government has launched Zarb-e-Azab and the Taliban have been declared state enemy.
The Sindh government’s information adviser, Moula Bux Chandio can do no more than criticize the government for harassing the PPP. Qasim Zia, the former PPP Punjab president, Senator Saifullah Bangash’s son was picked up from Lahore, arrest warrants for former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and late ex-commerce minister Mak¬hdoom Amin Fahim, were issued to pressurize the PPP.
The PPP claims that Sharif has launched a revengeful political game and that Rangers should be fair and start a similar operation in Punjab. The Rangers in Karachi are taking their operation to a logical conclusion and it appears that the army would investigate Ozair Baloch links with Zardari and Baloch Liberation Front activities in terrorism.
Further extension of 90 days for the Rangers will help them untie the knots uniting political leaders and terrorism in the city. A petition has also been filed in the Supreme Court to try Ozair Baloch in the military court which help solve many mysteries and murder that took place in Karachi. END
