Creating Harmony

An interview with Governor Sindh Kamran Khan Tessori

KARACHI: Sindh Governor, Kamran Khan Tessori, has said that he considers it his duty to create political harmony, and that in this connection he has been meeting Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM)’s disgruntled elements in a bid to unite them so as to ensure development of the city and the province.

He said this during an exclusive interview with Bol News.

Kamran Tessori was recently appointed by the federal government as the Governor of Sindh province. He was nominated for the office by MQM-Pakistan (MQM-P) party, which he recently rejoined after a spell of differences.

Kamran Tessori hit the political limelight during 2004-07, when General Pervez Musharraf was in power, and one of his allies, Arbab Ghulam Rahim, was the chief minister of Sindh province. Tassori was then a member of Arbab Rahim’s Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) party.

The government of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), which replaced PML-F during the post-Musharraf period, got him arrested on a land scam charge. Another criminal case was brought against him when he escaped from police custody which being shifted from Karachi to Badin.

However, he got clearance in one case after another, and hit the limelight again in 2017 when he joined MQM-P. Soon later, he was elevated to the party’s Coordination Committee. This angered some party insiders, triggering differences that led him to quit the party in 2018.

He rejoined MQM-P in September, amid reports that the party appointed him as deputy convener of the Coordination Committee. Though there have been reports of renewed internal differences over his return to the party, the party leadership nominated him for the slot of the Sindh Governor.

Below are some of the questions Bol News put to him, and his answers.

Q. When you were offered the governorship, what were your plans, and what challenges are you facing?

Kamran Tîssori: I remember that the MQM-P Convener, Khalid Maqbool bhai, spoke to me, proposed my name in the coordination committee, and then pushed my name for the governor’s office saying that he wished to see a governor who could identify with the masses. The official notification was issued on 12 Rabiul Awwal, which is a big day for us. It brought happiness to me, my family as well as the party.

My foremost desire has always been to find ways to end hatred among political parties, sects, groups and people, and to promote harmony, love and affection. Therefore, I went to everyone personally, and met with leaders of different political parties, religious parties and groups, the ulema, representatives of the business community, and common folks in their neighbourhoods. Actually, Allah has bestowed on me this office, and I’m doing what I’m doing in order to earn the blessings of God.

Q. You have been nominated by MQM-P. The question is, you left the party, then rejoined it suddenly and were straightaway nominated for Governor’s office. How did all this happen?

KT: As far as I know, I am the Governor today because of the blessings of God. Now it is for the people to judge how I perform. Getting into such details – someone calling me Maula Jutt, someone was saying I’m not suitable for this office, someone objecting to my mustache or – is a waste of time. People want their problems solved. I just think about how street crime can be controlled, how electricity and gas can be supplied without interruptions, how to create employment, how to make the city clean and green.

Q. After taking oath as Governor, you said that Dr Farooq Sattar will join MQM-P in ten days, but it hasn’t happened yet. More recently you’ve been meeting representatives of different MQM factions. Will you succeed in bringing them together?

KT: The office of the Governor is an apolitical institution. I am MQM-P’s nominee, but I am the governor of the whole province, and my job is to create harmony among political parties in a non-political way. I have old relations with Dr Farooq Sattar, and we have family terms. It was my desire that he should return to his party. Our party’s head, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, as well as many others in the Coordination Committee want him back. I have listened to both sides, and there are some issues involved. But in the interest of Karachi and the province, I wish that all good people, irrespective of their political and factional affiliations, should focus on solving issues of the common people instead of criticizing or trying to correct each other. We have to solve the issues linked to the supply of gas, electricity, and water – three amenities that every citizen has a right to access.

We have to restore the glory of our city, and work for the development of our province. Our ancestors and our forces rendered sacrifices to achieve this country, and we will not let anybody put those sacrifices to waste.

Q. There are ups and downs in the PPP-MQM-P relations. What is your role in it?

KT: My role is to be a bridge between them. Doors of the Governor’s House are open to all those who want to access the Governor to discuss issues and ideas.

People from MQM-P recently came to me and put before me their issues, saying that I was their nominee and must look into them. In my capacity as a representative of the federal government, I sought an appointment with the Prime Minister. We went there and apprised him of the issues, and asked him to do something about it.

Q. Street crime turned more frequent and violent last year. You have held meetings with police high ups and also visited offices of the Citizen-Police Liaison Committee as well as the Community Police Karachi. What role can you play in containing street crime?

KT: My role is only to create awareness among the masses that someone is there to follow up things on their behalf. No one is there to listen to the people’s grievances. If someone lost her or his kid, all we do is offer condolences. The aggrieved party runs from pillar to post to get justice. It ends up spending all its earnings and savings, and still doesn’t get justice. I am seeking strength from God to expose those responsible for such offenses, and make them accountable. I will do it, and for this I am ready to set up an open court (khuli katchehry).

Q. Do you think that the safe city project and the CPK cameras can help contain street crime?

KT: The safe city project is a basic need of the entire country. I appreciate Murad Soni and all those philanthropists who are working in the interest of people. If the safe city project is not implemented, we will not be justified in blaming the police for failing to curb crime. Safe city project cameras should be installed across the province. This project has to be done for the safety and security of people.

We have to carry out a de-mapping of the province. There is an influx of Afghans into the city but we don’t have any data of them. Besides, unemployment also contributes to the proliferation of street crime. Now who will take the initiative to stop crime? A young man of the NED University was shot dead on the street, but nothing happened. The stone age passed thousands of years ago, but we can still see men of stone on the go.

Q. You say that Afghans and foreign elements are involved in street crimes. Who will stop them?

KT: We all will stop them. This is our city, our province, our country. I don’t need more authority, I have enough of it already. I have the intention and a team of sincere people. I will go to the people and tell them about the situation and ask them to raise their voice with me.