KARACHI, 10 August — The change of leadership in Karachi and its sister Hyderabad City may bring some drastic changes in their socio-political-cultural character, as two of Pakistan’s leading religious parties, Jamaat-e-Islami, and the Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan announced to enforce Shariah after winning elections for the post of mayors and deputy mayors in these two main centers on Wednesday night. The pronouncement that the Jamaat will introduce Shariah from Karachi, has caused scare among elites and the moderates of the two cities, but its promise to pursue bipartisan politics had been largely appreciated.
While the Jamaat won hands down the contest in Karachi, defeating its closet rival, Sen. Taj Haider of the Pakistan People’s Party by a margin of over 500 votes, Moinuddin of the JUP scored an equally easy victory in Hyderabad, the second main city of the country’s turbulent province. Their success was guaranteed after an alliance between parties, who have traditionally been allergic to the politics of the PPP.
There was obviously jubilation in the Jamaat-e-Islami camp, but fears had grown among non-conformists about a radical takeover. The cities of Hyderabad and Karachi have not only high literacy rate, but abound in political intellect.
A victory speech from Jamaat’s Niamatullah, who is now the new Lord Mayor-designate for Karachi, therefore, caused shock and dismay after it was reported in the morning newspapers. Ladies particularly, allergic to Jamaat’s emphasis on subjecting them to dress restrictions or forcing them to wear veils, were jittery. The business class too looked worried, because the Jamaat and the JUP have been insisting on introduction of Islamic rule in the country, differing vastly on its interpretation.
His insistence that “we will start the introduction of Shariah from Karachi” was enough to raise eye brows, but then his emphasis on exploiting the collective will of the people brought some relief.
Even the critics of the party appreciated that Niamatullah, who has been, for a long time, the Karachi chief of the Jamaat, had struck a conciliatory note vis-a-vis his opponents. That was taken as a happy augury for the future, because politics in Pakistan, has mostly been partisan.
“We will take everyone along in our endeavor to change the face of the city. There will no longer be any Sindhi, Mohajir, Punjabi, Baloch or Pathan in this city. We are all one, and united, and we will work together for the uplift and progress of our this beautiful metropolis. We will free it of prejudices, and sectarian or ethnic divides. We will restore the status of this city of our, which had long been lost, he said”
His speech was interpreted as a direct attack on the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, which had snatched the leadership from the Jamaat in a city which had repeatedly provided political lead to the rest of the country, especially against dictatorial, and authoritarian regimes.
Niamatullah also assured the citizens that the days when gangs of extortionists and, and thugs ruled the city, would soon be history, because drastic changes will be made to ensure the life and honor of the people. “People have spoken. They have given their verdict (at the recently concluded polls), and have changed the leadership of the city. It is time now to change the system.” The JUP had refrained from making a policy statement.
