On Wednesday, at least 25 people were killed and 40 injured while 20 vehicles were torched in different parts of Karachi. Trouble began in North Karachi when armed men opened fire on Zarina Colony, leading to an alteraction with Rangers personnel. Incidents also occured in Surjani Town, New Karachi Industrial Area, Khawaja Ajmair Nagri, Landhi and Malir.
Do you live in any of the affected areas? Did you witness the clashes? What is the situation in the affected areas on Thursday? Is tension prevailing or is there a modicum of calm in the wake of MQM chief Altaf Hussain’s appeal for peace? Share your stories with Dawn.com.
the responsibility of controlling law and order lies squarely on the government. Its their primary responsibility.
I can remember 2 instances first when Benazir Bhutto was killed, for so many days Sind was lawless, no report of what happened, or how it happened.Then on 2nd may, and now again.
We all know that these acts are not done by 99.9% of the population, so why the government cant stop it.
The necessary Intelligence gathering, comprehensive planning, resolve and above all the WILL end this menace.
We appeal to the Government , please act now the city is sliding into a lawless state.
May be today its a lull, but who knows tomarrow same can happen again.
In a society when criminals are not dealt with, when there is no justice, when anyone with a stick takes law into their own hands, when people are fed slogans; what you expect the result. When leaders are corrupt, did I say that? Let me clarify this. Who elected these leaders, answer is yes, us. Than, why to complain.
Problem is with our own self. Unless every man and women will not look into their own actions and check with all honesty what he or she is doing is right or wrong, you will have no peace. Don’t forget, Allah helps only those who help themselves. Elect honest people and make them accountable of their actions. Work on this process until Pakistan is ruled with law and not someone’s hearsay.
For months now the threat of Taliban has been announced regarding karachi. Usually this is taken to mean “Pathan” by most of the militant types who then start targeted killing.
If one could get rid of or at least minimize the ethnic biases that pervade Karachi, and recognize that Karachi can only survive as a multi-cultural society (like all major cities in the world today).
Militant facism, whether religously motivated or secular in origin, is equally bad.
In both cases someones rights are trampled. And innocent suffer the most.
Lets not blame “outside” forces. We have to look in the mirror.
Mr. Zafar Akhtar & Mr. Waqas,
All the sons & daughters of the soils of this unfortunate country called Pakistan know well who is the culprit, who are the the tortures & killers, who are the real Karachi mafia, and who is the godfather of this mafia!
As a Lyariite, I know what your colonial domination has done to my people, the Baloch and other native Sindhi commoners of Greater Karachi !
The establishment has been quick to send the army and the fierce FC in Balochistan and the Pashtun regions. I wonder why don’t they do the same to rescue Karachi from tyranny!
People of Karachi have seen enough violence. But that was the time when MQM was in opposition. For the last six years, MQM has its own Governor and a number of MQM ministers are also given several portfolios in the Sindh government. I do not understand that when MQM is a coalition partner of the sitting government then why violence is erupting time and again? There is contradiction in statements of MQM leaders and the Interior Minister. MQM says that Taliban are settling in Karachi to disturb the peace and create law and order situation whereas the Interior Minister says that he has found no clue of Talibinisation in Karachi.
Where people of Karachi should stand today? The on going violence is a part of conspiracy theory to disturb the peace in Karachi. It is a cosmopolitan city and every citizen has the right to live in Karachi or in any other part of the country. MQM should differentiate between the Talibans and the Pakhtoons. Innocent people are killed in the violence. Who should be held responsible – MQM, ANP or the PPP. For God sake political leaders should not make peace a matter of their ego. Peace should prevail by all means.
Let us look at the killings of innocent lives in Karachi. According to police reports 16 Pathans and 3 urdu speaking individuals were killed in a day. There should be no doubt in anyone’s mind that this is a planned killing by a certain party’s activists. The party’s leader is spewing hatred among different ethnic groups and ordering killing of innocent people. Does he or his workers believe in Islam where all Muslims are equal before God and will be answerable to God for their actions? The Pakistan government must declare this organization as a Terrorist Group and freeze their assets. If we don’t take this action against this menace it will really get worse and your ethnic group be will be next. People of Karachi should rise above ethnic groups as true muslims and shun violence against their fellow Muslims.
Assalam Alaikum, Public-e-Pakistan
My respected brothers and sisters in Islam, the main cause of this issue is not created by the citizens. They are bussy trying to pay off their bills and negotiation rooti and cheeni prices at the bazar. Yet I blame the citizens for not being united. One urdu speaking person dies and its blamed on all the patans and vice versa. Moreover, I believe this hatred in younger genation is embedded by the parents and elders. Instead of teaching youngsters peace, harmony and unity. These young people are taugth hate, racism and extremeism. Until and unless we follow “Sindhi hum, Balochi hum, Urdu Speaking hum, Punjabi hum and Pathan hum, Ik Parcham kay neechay Pakistan kay jawan hum,” I dont think we can conquer these pathetic race differences. The funny thing is that, the people who live in Pakistan are looting the country bit by bit. Yet, the people who are non-resident of Pakistan are trying to feed Pakistan their life savings. PPP and MQM are not for Sindh, ML(N) is not for Punjab, Baloch Liberation army is not for Balochistan, and TTP and other religious organizations in Sarhad are not for NWFP. These organizations are like termite, who are destroying the nations inner core unity. We all tend to be a part of these ridiculous organizations, and want the nation to prosper. This is not possible, we need to change our ideologies and idols and follow the teaching of Sallaudin, Sir Allama Iqbal and Saif-Ullah.
In response to Roohi Amir:
Talibanisation isnt the only form of extremism/terrorism that we need to get rid of. We need to collectively speak out against these political mafias which happen to set the discourse for an entire population. About time we hold each and every party accountable for their previous record (human rights abuse, extra-judicial killings and extortion) just to name a few.
On a very personal level, it’s disturbing how we cant stop worrying about the growing rise of Talibanization within the country (and rightly so) but dont step up and speak out against the party that is behind the violence, which is widely known to resort to terror tactics when things dont go their way.
Pakistan has become another Balkan,
and karachi could be on its way of being another sarajevo.
I have been living outside Pakistan and since long we keep on hearing about the tense situation in Pakistan and how innocent people are being killed in the name of religion and politics.Why are we such and what is the reason for such a dangerous situation in our lovely country. You have to question the sincerity of our bureaucracy, politicians and the army. I grew up in Pakistan and since long time I see same faces over and over in these three important pillars, they are the landlords and they use their muscles in the rural areas to be elected and they are smart to be part of each party and they are the pawnmakers when it comes to deciding who would rule our country. They have practically hijacked our country, they have relatives in the three important pillars and when ever things do not go right they use their muscles and make sure that their candidate rules our country.We have seen the same faces over and over ruling our country with proven criminal records and we have to accept them as our rulers. A sincere person from outside when he comes to rule he is chucked out like what happened to Musharraf on the pretext than he is not elected, I do not think Pakistan would be ruled by a person from the masses and elected as well. The sooner we all realize this the better it is for us and this is where the revolution of change should come and for this we have to gear up the masses and topple the people who have hijacked our country. I pray to Allah that he bring this day soon for our country.
Expelled ISI man, keep your conspiracy theories with you, what makes you think that our own country’s agency will cause havoc in one of our important cities, I agree with Zafar Akhtar it is handy work of one of the foreign countries.
everyone know but no one dare to say that leading ethnic party in the city is responsible for every incident in karachi. since its creation it had fights with all other communities. unfortunately the educated and sensible elements of the community it claims to represent are forced to side with it. Government should disarm the groups and allow a fair and free environment for election which will show the actual popularity of the party.
i don’t live that area. but i need peace and safe for karachi.
Our country was created in the name of Islam. Now it seems everybody tends to follow ideas of their own ethnic group instead of their religion first. This is what dividing us apart. Only Islam can bring us together. This is only way out from current crisis.
It is becoming too casual to say so much people are dying everyday and worst part is that those who are innocent are always suffering and getting victimized.
Are we not seeing God in anyone? Since we believe that we are equally created by one God. pleas have some heart and stop this violence.
Think of the children of this country!
It has been really shocking to hear about sudden deterioration of karachi’s peace. Killing innocent people without any provocation,seemed like a engineered plan by the Islamic militants hiding in city, and using the criminals. This linked at the same time,when pakistan army is trying to clear and get rid of Talibans at Buner and else where. NAP should reconsider their strategy about enforcing Nazm Adl(cannot comprehend, what is that all about)and back out soon rather than later.
I visited karchi last month and found it at peace, with great work done by Nazim apart from electric shut down.
Sindh Governemnt should act swiftly and make sure these elements behind this criminal activity are cleaned. some time ,you have to use iron hand to handle the crisis, so that peaceful citizens of all descents can live without fear.
Stop using Religion as a tool to disrupt peace.
Apparently there has been shoot at sight orders for the miscreants in Karachi.
Why aren’t the same orders being given for the miscrents of the troubled Tribal Areas? As quote goes on ‘The best defence is an offensive and then nowadays, one is even allowed pre-emptive attacks,so what did we wait for so long in that region?
Peace is the need of everyone lives in Karachi. For that, all communities living here should act responsibly and respect each other. All Karachites lose jointly, whenever, there is unrest.
In this particular case, I believe whoever has esclated the tension and started the clash is more responsible for the ugly situation prevailing in the City.
Anyway, lets join hand to bring peace in our beloved city.
The survival of our country has moved from the merciful hands of God to the mercy of terrorists.
Our authorities will come on television and repeat the only sentence they know “WE CONDEMN IT ALL” its being so frequently used that it almost sounds abusive. Abusive to the innocent mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters and what’s heart breaking is that children too are victims. On the contrary their actions and silence reveals there intent.
Our authorities always claim to be doing something or at least intend but it seems that it will take a 100 years till the fruits of their efforts to ripen and reach the people. Till then however I hope that the beasts have not eaten all.
As a matter of fact now I am not in Karachi, but I was born and have been there for 42 years. Its not the new experience for Karachi it always happens there. The people who start this violence are not in large numbers rather it is a special pre-briefed and pre-arranged group of 10/12 or sometimes 15/20 people who start this violence either by firing on innocent people or by burning transport after being brain-washed by their “Master”. I have experienced the same at the time of killing of Benazir Bhutto. Now,the situation is somewhat different becouse now the Urdu-speaking and Pathans are face to face in spite of the facts that their leaders are meeting with each other and striving to appease the tention but again when these leaders are trying to maintain peace in Karachi then why there is a violence. That means it is clear that the group that is instigating the violence are out of their jurisdiction. The simple is that they want to create communal riots in Karachi. The responsibility of ours in the crucial time is to make amicable and good relations between each other and try to identify the culprits in the mob.
Whether or not one lives in areas directly affected by the deaths, one thing is for sure: every Karachi walla has been once again affected.
yesterday, I had a worse day and trapped at Gulistan-e-Johar Circle while I was coming from Hassan Square. I heard firing noises and anarchy everywhere on the road. Shops were being shut down. I was perplexed what to do and where to escape because Rashid Minhas road was jammed and there were rumors of killing at NIPA. I was moving my bike awkwardly in the streets and after crossing through several unknown roads, I managed to reach at Airport and got sigh of relief.
At Johar chowrangi, I witnessed women in trouble. They were crying and especially ladies sitting in buses. I was astonished not to see any law enforcement agency and traffic police guider at the place.
The yesterday’s violence again made me to think that we were still living in the stone ages.
A point to be observed is that Army in general, is missing during such violence and Rangers take on the gunmen with light weapons and in retaliation Gunmen end up injuring Rangers and then flee away from scene without a trace? no gunmen or ranger killed?
So Conspiracy theory # 1 is Army is finding opportunities to wipe out anti national elements.
Conspiracy theory # 2 is that Rebels in Buner and Swat are trying to engage Army elsewhere in Pakistan which could be far more dangerous situation, however this appears unlikely as no body needs mobilisation of huge army to answer petty instances or shooting and Taliban knows that.
So you take a guess.
Since PPP,MQM and NAP are jointly in Sind assembly, certainly this violence is created not by them but by outside( international ) agencies for reasons very well understood by the masses.
Sind govt have already identified these these people who are responsible for this carnage and should be severly punished.Further, concerted efforts to me made to flush out all such elements from the city.
In my opinion since all the three parties are seriously trying to bring calm to the city, they will succeed
I was at gulshan iqbal, behind cafee student, adjacent to Hassan Square on 29 april, where party activists were patrolling and were present on shops with arms. The police party of aziz bhati police station came many time but went silently.The police if come and go silently without asking the armed people whatsoever may be their affiliation , then same armed people played havoc when the situation became tense.