MPA Javed Hanif’s speech

Javed Hanif Khan is one of those rare civil servants who after a very successful career in the civil service of Pakistan decided to enter the thorny domain of public service. Javed Hanif meritoriously served in the elite Pakistan Administrative Service for over three decades and discharged onerous responsibilities including the position of Chairman KPT and retired as a federal secretary. Javed Hanif is known as intellectually delineating individual viewing matters in their true perspective. During his long service career he retained his original identity as a Karachiite and presented his point of view candidly on issues confronting Karachi and its people.

After taking retirement Javed Hanif joined MQM (Pakistan) and was given the ticket to fight election to the Sindh Assembly that he won hands down. The political engineering witnessed during the 2018 elections ensured that all political parties, particularly MQM, were openly discriminated against and Javed Hanif also bore the brunt of such discrimination. He was booked in bogus cases and was incarcerated though he was the candidate of a recognised political party and contesting polls. Despite being behind the bars Javed Hanif won the election and became member of Sindh Assembly.

Javed Hanif was instrumental in arranging and participating in parleys between MQM (P) and the PPP aimed at arriving at an understanding between the urban and rural areas of Sindh. Though he believes in creating a state of harmony between all communities living in Karachi yet he keeps on expressing his views about the discriminatory policies undertaken against the MQM (P) and Karachiites in general.

His bitterness spilled over in his speech during the budget session of Sindh Assembly when he pointed out at the discrimination perpetrated against the Karachiites by mentioning that Nasreen Jalil, the nominee as Governor Sindh, was not given the clearance to take over as governor whereas Agha Siraj Durrani, currently on bail on criminal charges, conveniently got that clearance and is working as governor Sindh.

Javed Hanif pointed out that Nasreen Jalil’s father was the first deputy commissioner of Lahore when Pakistan came into being and was credited with creating two large settlements known as Samanabad and Gulberg. When her father was made Chairman Thal Development Authority he developed areas ranging from Mianwali to Bakhar founding the city of Jauharabad. He was deputed to manage PIA with just three air planes but when he left PIA had become a thriving airline.
He sentimentally resented the fact that Ayub Khan dismissed him from service along 1,662 other migrant civil servants and the pity is that his following generation is still suffering the consequences of biased behaviour shown to the migrants who gave up everything to come to the Promised Land and are still treated as security risks requiring security clearance.

Javed Hanif lamented the fact that in Pakistan the Karachiites have been turned into political minority and are persecuted. He said that extra efforts were taken to turn their political party into a minority party with 14 of their seats stolen right under their nose. Karachiites have been made to disappear and there is no one to explain why they have disappeared. He said that four violent operations were conducted against the MQM (P) and the intention was to wipe it out clean.
It could very well be imagined that if a level-headed former civil servant feels so strongly about the discrimination meted out to Karachiites then what would be the strain of general sentiment raging in the city. Javed Hanif has given a timely reminder to the authorities who matter that such discrimination should cease forthwith and amelioratory measures are put in place without further delay. TW