The pragmatic, problem-solving, no-nonsense soldier, Lt-Gen. Moinuddin Haider was replaced last Friday (June 18) as Governor of Sindh by Mamnoon Hussain, a non-descriptive figure but a personal friend of Nawaz Sharif. He is currently the President of Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which position he intends to keep along with his Governorship –just in case.

Much more surprising is the appointment, in tandem, of Ghaus Ali Shah, a crafty politician and Federal Education Minister, as Adviser to the Prime Minister on Sindh Affairs. Shah is no stranger, like Mamnoon, in the political field. The people of Sind remember him as one of the most corrupt Chief Ministers of their province.

Ghaus Ali Shah will in effect be the Chief Minister once more of the province. The terms of his appointment make this point quite clear. Not only that, the Governor will have to take decisions only on his advice.

The gubernatorial status has thus become a miniature replica of the federal President –a largely ceremonial figurehead.

The clout of the new governor, Mamnoon Hussain, with Nawaz Sharif was noticed by the press in Karachi when he was seen, not long ago, rushing to the Prime Minister with a dish carrying home-made dahi baras when the latter was about to leave the Governor House for the airport. The Prime Minister delayed his departure to relish and enjoy the dish so sincerely brought to him by the head of Karachi Chamber of Commerce to cater to his gourmet palate.

Governor’s rule was imposed on the province on October 31, 1998 when the PML-MQM coalition was dismissed for high rate of politically motivated killings, general deterioration in the law and order situation, high rate of car snatching in Karachi and the widespread extortion racket.

The murder of Zohair Akram Nadeem, a Pakistan Muslim League (PML) leader followed by the highly shocking assassination of the great philanthropist and benefactor of the nation, Hakim Said, precipitated the dismissal of the thoroughly incompetent PML-led coalition and imposition of the Governor’s rule.

The performance of the Governor over the past eight months has brought to him tributes and well-deserved encomiums from leaders of all shades of opinion. A host of administrative measures were taken by him, on war footing, to bring sanity to the law enforcing agencies, particularly the police, and to remove the grievances of the public to rehabilitate their confidence in government institutions.

According to police records, in the very first six months of his rule, the police arrested 2,248 criminals, confiscated over 40,000 firearms mainly Klashnikovs and other automatic weapons. Murder cases went down by no less than 90 per cent, hold-ups and robberies registered a decrease of 32 per cent, and incidents of car snatching went down by 51 per cent. The extortion ( bhatta) Mafia was virtually eliminated. Karachi witnessed the return of peace and tranquility after several terror-ridden years.

Considering the success of the Governor in the task assigned to him by Nawaz Sharif himself, it is but natural now to ask what dire emergency has dictated his dramatic removal. Unfortunately, no explanation has been offered officially.

Even the new Governor publicly acknowledged the success of Gen. Moin Haider in managing admirably the ramparts of the province. He pledged to maintain the tempo in restoring peace to the metropolis. His efforts, he said, would be directed also towards bringing to an end the political vacuum in the province. One wonders about the room for political and administrative actions available to the Governor in the presence of Ghaus Ali Shah who would be more than a Chief Minister according to the dispensation promulgated last week.

Full facts leading up to the hasty decision to dismiss Gen. Haider and replace him by a figure-head Governor and an all-powerful Adviser are still not available. As already mentioned, there is no official explanation. This omission may be attributable to the arrogance of autocracy.

Some indications are nevertheless available. Gen. Haider had refused to unnecessarily hound the PPP or terrorize the MQM. The role of a hatchet man did not suite his temperament, mental conditioning and values. His iron fist was reserved for the crooks and criminals. There was no shortage of them in the province, quite a few of them masquerading as politicians.

Matter of fact, the PML stalwarts were feeling left out as Governor Haider was neither easily accessible nor could be maneuvered politically. He did not allow them to meddle in administrative affair.

Pruning of his powers started. He was constrained by not being allowed to have the Chief Secretary and Inspector General of Police of his choice. Then he was restricted from exercising powers for transfers and postings of senior functionaries in his province.

The province was under the Governor’s rule but it was in effect ruled from the Prime Minister’s office in Islamabad. The Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, a senior civil servant, was taking all major policy decisions regarding the province. The Governor being the man on the spot viewed some times the issues in a different light. This led to friction between him and the Principal Secretary who appeared to be favorably inclined towards Ghaus Ali Shah. This line of control also affected the IG, Police, who would take orders from Islamabad. The Governor thus found himself in an unenviable position and must have taken his removal as a great mental relief.

Gen. Pervez Musharraf, COAS, is reported to have been discouraging Nawaz Sharif from the moves.

What could possibly be the repercussions of these dramatic decisions? Ghaus Ali Shah is probably expected to create a favorable climate in the Assembly for the Muslim League where it is now in a woeful minority. He has the precedent of Jam Sadiq Ali’s maneuverings to follow. But, the province has seen since the days of Jam Sadiq so much of blood shed, so much of deprivation and so many false promises, that political games with the people would only complicate matters, Open and clean politics is what the people need.

But, Shah Sahib might be harboring the notion that PPP politicians may be inclined to have an understanding with PML as Benazir was out of the way. Similar may appear to him the position of MOM as its leader too is in virtual exile in London.

On the other hand, Amin Fahim, Vice-Chairman of PPP and Altaf Husain of MQM have met recently for three hours in London, to work out a formula for cooperation in Sindh Assembly. An understanding has been reached, it is reported.

This is not a happy tiding for Ghaus Ali Shah. Unless he is a Mahciavelli reincarnate, he would not be able, as far as one can see at this stage, to call the shots in what is essentially a turf dominated almost equally by PPP and MQM.

One cannot help wondering whether the change of command in Sindh would turn out to be another regrettable decision of Mian Nawaz Sharif like the ignoble treatment of the judiciary and the miss handling of the press!!