Erstwhile enemies, the military and the MQM cosy up to each other as new power dynamics change the political landscape of Sindh, before and after the referendum called by Pervez Musharraf.
When General Zia ul-Haq called a referendum in Pakistan on 19 December 1984 for the purpose of extending his rule by another five years, the people of Sindh — still reeling from the military regime's severe crackdown during the Movement for Restoration of Democracy (MRD) — displayed their resentment by avoiding the ballot box. The polling stations in Karachi and rural Sindh had a deserted look, and the message to the late dictator was clear.
Sindh had always been leader in Pakistani politics and the province's apathetic attitude naturally sent shock waves reverberating throughout the country. The result was that polling officials spent the day swatting flies. The referendum's results, when announced, instantly became the subject of jokes, and even inspired an idiom used for occasions where someone idiotically cheats.
General Zia's referendum asked the people of Pakistan this question: "Do the people of Pakistan endorse the process initiated by General Zia to bring all laws in conformity with the injunctions of Islam, as laid down in the Holy Quran and Sunnah, and do they support the continuation of that process for the smooth and orderly transfer of power to the elected representatives of the people?" A vote in the affirmative was a vote for General Zia to remain president for the next five years.