TERRORISM IN KARACHI
Posted on August 18th, 2011
PROFESSOR ALI SUKHANVER
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Karachi, once the most prosperous, promising and developing financial hub of Pakistan is now at stake. The people of Karachi are left with nothing but a feeling of insecurity and uncertainty. Stray bullets and unidentified killers are ruling over this metropolitan city. In spite of their best efforts the provincial government, the police, the Rangers and even the leaders of various political parties have yet not succeeded in finding out the actual root cause of this blood shed. The city is turning to a land of horror and fright.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Some analysts are of the view that the situation is in fact an outcome of long time ethnic conflicts and differences, fuelled by political forces. Some others are of the opinion that people belonging to different land-mafia and drug-mafia are behind this warlike scenario in the streets of Karachi. God knows better which are the hands trying to scatter and shatter the peace and prosperity of Karachi but one thing is very much obvious that the disturbance and unrest in Karachi is not the result of any ethnic conflict neither it is a racial problem. Whenever there is a bomb blast, a suicide attack or falling down of a building, one can easily find people from all ethnic identities rushing to the spot to help out the effected ones.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ One day before the Independence Day celebrations on 13th August, some miscreants set a minibus on fire near a post office in Keamari area of Karachi. There were about fifteen passengers in that minibus. ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The attackers set the bus on fire and ran away before the passengers could understand the situationƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, said the in-charge of the local police station, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The blaze left one man dead and four others injuredƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. The passengers of this unlucky minibus did not belong to any particular ethnic community neither they were the members or workers of some particular political party. It means the miscreants targeted this bus not to victimize some particular ethnic or political segment of society but their only aim was to generate an air of horror and fright. Three weeks prior to this incident the media reported murder of a six years old innocent girl Liaba. It was 10th of July 2011 when Liaba, the only daughter of a poor Pashtun rickshaw driver was returning to her home from her madrassa. She was a few steps away from her door when some stray bullets deprived her of life. The brutal killing of this innocent girl filled all eyes with tears. Without any discrimination of caste and creed her murder was mourned over and condemned by everyone. In such a situation where the bullet and the target both are absolutely stranger to each other, it seems completely out of place to call such episodes ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”target killingsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢. In most of the cases the victims are rarely targeted on their ethnic or political identity. How can we call it ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”target killingƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ when Innocent people including fruit and vegetable vendors, general stores and tuck-shop owners, labourers, daily-wagers and bus passengers are being sentenced to death pitilessly by ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”invisible authoritiesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Worsening of the law and order situation in Karachi is not a new phenomenon. It was somewhere in mid 1980s when people from varied ethnic and cultural backgrounds started hailing to Karachi as their permanent destination. Since then different invisible forces have been trying their best to create an air of mistrust and disbelief among different communities living here. Now after a long struggle of almost three decades these forces have succeeded in changing the face and fate of Karachi. This city now appears to have entered an era where mass killing of people has become a hobby for the professional killers. Innocent people are being murdered without any rhyme and reason. The local administration seems helpless and the law enforcing agencies seem powerless. In the beginning it was reported that the militant political forces were only targeting their rivals but now attacks on residents are becoming progressively more haphazard. In a recent incident of the same type of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”target killingƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ on 17th August former Pakistan PeopleƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Party MNA Waja Karim Dad and his friend Sadruddin Bhai were shot dead when they were sitting along with other friends at a hotel in the remits of Jackson police station. They were breaking their fast when a group of motorcyclists arrived on the spot and opened firing on them. Resultantly, both received bullet injuries and died on the spot. Later, the same group of unidentified armed men allegedly opened indiscriminate firing at a food stall, where people were sitting for Aftari near Achi Qabar Mithadar. Resultantly a young man of 35 died on the spot while six others got seriously injured. The incident shows that most of the time the miscreants have only one aim and objective; to generate an air of fear and harassment and to promote a general feeling of insecurity among the people of Karachi. The situation has become so complex and complicated that people have lost all their trust and confidence in the political government. They feel that the law and order situation in Karachi cannot be controlled without the interference of army. In fact it is the planning of the international conspirators to drag the Pakistan army into the blazing inferno of Karachi. They want to divert the attention of the army from the borders where internationally supported terrorists are always busy in planning to destabilize Pakistan with their cruel terrorist activities.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The situation in Karachi is not very much different from that of Baluchistan and Khayber Pakhtunkhawh. From Quetta to Peshawar innocent people are being murdered in the same way. Bomb blasts, suicide attacks and target killings have become a routine matter. In fact the blazing fire of terrorism which once started from KPK has now reached Karachi after engulfing the fertile lands of Baluchistan. Though the situation seems extremely out of control but someone will have to step forward and take the responsibility of playing the role of savior and rescue this city from the cruel clutches of such a depressing state of horror and fear. The government must not allow the law of jungle hold here supreme. Karachi is an international city; peace and prosperity of Karachi means peace and prosperity of Pakistan. The government of Pakistan must take serious action to control the situation before it is too late.
August 18th, 2011 at 5:13 pm
Dear Pr.o Ali,
Prez Muzraaf predicted this. And this situtation has to do with present government’s inability to organize. When prez Musharraf was in power, he had excellent system locally and internationally to keep the eye on every group but the System collapsed after present govt came to power. Therefore, present Pakistan govt have to reintroduce that system that is good for the country. But it will not work if Pakistan politician keep the old hatred and division. additionally, Pakistan govt laid charges against Prez Musharraf, in my opinion, this fuel more hatred among Pakistanis and This is not what Pakistan need now. What Pakistan need is keep the hate politic out and work to regain what is lost.
Second, What Pakistan today is facing same thing what Sri lanka was facing. Also, Sri lanka problem is still not over.
However, Pakistan issue is more complex: Pakistan is big, have a huge population but Pakistanis are very advanced in most fields than Sri lankan and have a great advantage of being an Islamic country, and large Pakistanis immigrant population all across the globe. Therefore, it require only great effort and courage to solve any issue that
Pakistan is facing.
Third, Meeting any threat to public security is important. And if one elected president can’t do it then people choose another one, and if another one too failed then it usually go to military in a big country like Pakistan.
Pakistan did not have very much chance to enjoy democracy because the reason is what Pakistan is facing today.
So, all these has nothing to with Islam or Buddhism, it’s all has to do with country’s leaders and people.
August 18th, 2011 at 5:47 pm
Karachi is destabilized by India. They don’t want it to rival Mumbai in terms of a financial centre, etc. Unless Indian sponsored terrorist groups are controlled, the situation will not improve. Pakistan’s security affects the entire region. It is important to have it secure.
No country can be 100% secure. Norway, USA, Spain, Russia and UK are peaceful and secure nations. That does not mean there is 100% peace. There is lasting peace in general on most days of the year. That is what every country should achieve. Sri Lanka is no exception.
Trouble makers should be killed without mercy. It is not worthwhile to tolerate a few thousands of trouble makers to live when the lives of millions are at stake.
August 18th, 2011 at 7:37 pm
I do not know how the security system is arraigned in Sri lanka and Pakistan. But here is my digestion s. have 24hr camera watches every embassy, consulates, UN offices and any other foreign group who are stationed in the country.
And security forces should know who come in and out of theses offices and generally any foreigner who live in the country should be watched in 24hr circle; for eg. if she or he goes to wash room, security forces should know how long
she or he was in the in the washroom and if they talked on the phone inside wash room.
Additionally, specially For Pakistan, close down all privet internet services except for government and security agencies, block all mobile cell if it is possible, monitor all regular phone line. install listening devices on the walls of every suspicious house or office. Theses are legally right and any country have right to do it.
spy on each foreigner in 24yr. It does not matter if they are sweet angles who came from sky or came from “UN” or “NGOS’
August 18th, 2011 at 7:40 pm
I do not know how the security system is arraigned in Sri lanka and Pakistan. But here is my suggestion . have 24hr camera watches every embassy, consulates, UN offices and any other foreign group who are stationed in the country.
And security forces should know who come in and out of theses offices and generally any foreigner who live in the country should be watched in 24hr circle; for eg. if she or he goes to wash room, security forces should know how long
she or he was in the in the washroom and if they talked on the phone inside wash room.
Additionally, specially For Pakistan, close down all privet internet services except for government and security agencies, block all mobile cell if it is possible, monitor all regular phone line. install listening devices on the walls of every suspicious house or office. Theses are legally right and any country have right to do it.
spy on each foreigner in 24yr. It does not matter if they are sweet angles who came from sky or came from “UN” or “NGOS’
August 20th, 2011 at 4:02 am
RAW, CIA and MI6 is the new axis that destabilizes Middle East and South Asia. India is western hunting dog. For the American and British agenda Indians openly trained tamil racist terrorists in Tamil Country (tamil nadu) and tried to destabilize Sri Lanka. Now RAW is doing it in Pakistan. If Pakistan destabilize both India and America can achieve their goals.
So-called western human right guardians are deaf and dumb over Indian invasion in Sikkim. They never utter a word on Kashmir human right violations or killing fields. Indian invaders illegally occupy originally Myanmar’s Assam and Himachal provinces. Indian regional imperialism and expansionism is well backed by U.S and British neo imperialists.