FOR every political misstep or transgression by the military in Sindh, the PPP led by former president Asif Ali Zardari appears willing and able to outdo its uniformed counterparts.

The capital of Sindh, where the PPP has been in power for the last seven years, is Karachi.

Karachi is the seat of the provincial government; Karachi is the principal political office of the PPP; Karachi is where Mr Zardari has an enormous and thoroughly fortified home; and Karachi is where the PPP-led government should meet to take decisions concerning the province of Sindh. Not Dubai.

Know more: Shah, 3 ministers attend PPP meeting in Dubai

But Mr Zardari and the PPP appear oblivious to the accepted laws of politics and seem determined to make up their own rules.

What else can explain the Sindh chief minister, Qaim Ali Shah, and several senior ministers flying out to Dubai — on whose expense? — to hold a PPP summit with Mr Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari?

Perhaps it was to discuss the cabinet reshuffle in Sindh. Or perhaps it was to discuss the recent administrative changes in the province, the decisions taken by the apex committee, the upcoming Sindh local government elections or steps taken to prepare for potential flooding in the rural parts of the province. Nothing explains why any of these issues had to be discussed in Dubai.

Is Asif Ali Zardari apprehensive? Is he hiding something? Surely, for a leader who often talks about his years in jail and his supposed fearlessness, this is the wrong time to be outside Pakistan.

Should the public and the media interpret that Mr Zardari is in self-exile, rattled by the recent military-led push against alleged corruption in Sindh? Or is the PPP’s real message that governing Sindh is so easy and problem-free that it can be done remotely from ultra-luxurious Dubai?

It may have seemed impossible, but the PPP government in Sindh appears to be on the verge of outdoing the Aslam Raisani-led previous provincial government in Balochistan in its indifference — and its indifference to its tragically terrible reputation.

Distressing as it may be from a democratic point of view, the juxtaposition between an alert military and disinterested civilians is there for all to see. When a security tragedy strikes, such as the Safoora Goth carnage, the military is seen to go into overdrive.

When a human crisis hits, such as the heatwave-related deaths, the civilians are seen decamping to Dubai. Truly, what is the PPP thinking?

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2015

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