2 more killed as sectarian temperatures rise in Karachi


Fawad Ali Shah June 11, 2010

KARACHI: The city was hit by another spate of violence as a member of the Shia sect was targeted in Ancholi while an Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat worker was killed in Nazimabad on Friday.

Violence erupted late on Thursday when gunfire was exchanged between a Shia and a Sunni group following the rally of one of their parties on Sharae Pakistan. As gunshots echoed in the Ancholi neighbourhood, shops remained closed and several vehicles were torched.

A member of the Shia sect, Ali Raza, 25, was gunned down by unidentified men early Friday while Syed Mehmudul Hassan Siddiqui, 35, was shot dead in North Nazimabad.

Police and Rangers deputed in the area were unable to control the situation and had to call for backup. At least seven people have been injured in the ensuing riots.

In the past week, two brothers belonging to the Shia sect were also killed. Shahzad Raza and his older brother, Asif Raza, were residents of Federal B Area Block-18.

When the brothers’ bodies arrived at home, the neighbourhood remained tense. Scores of people took to the streets and shouted slogans against the government and the police for failing to curb sectarian violence.

Violence also erupted during the funeral prayers in Ancholi when a fight broke out between the police and the protesters, who blocked the main road and caused damage to nearby shops and a vehicle. Protesters also attacked the bus stop of route 2-D buses.

CCPO Karachi Waseeem Ahmed rebuffed the allegation that the police had failed to curb the menace of sectarian killings. “If the police had been present, the number of casualties would have been higher,” Ahmed said.

Ahmed believed that it was because of the efforts of both the police and Rangers that the situation in Ancholi and surrounding areas was under control.

The funeral prayers of the deceased were performed at Khairul Uloom, in Federal B Area Block-20. Later, the body was taken to Wadi-e-Hussain for burial.

North Nazimabad

Riots also broke out in North Nazimabad following the murder of the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jammat worker. Syed Mehmudul Hasan Siddiqui, son of Izharul Hasan Siddiqui was gunned down in front of the Ghosia Mosque near Bara Maidan.

Siddiqui used to supply school bags to shopkeepers and was the head of the Central District of the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat.

Shops and markets remained closed as the situation in the area remained tense. Siddiqui’s funeral prayers were held at the Siddique-e-Akbar Mosque and later he was buried at Paposh Nagar. Some people resorted to aerial firing after they made their way back from the funeral.

“We have requested them [Shia and Sunni organisations] not to hold any rally in order to avoid other untoward incidents,” CCPO Waseem Ahmed said. However, his requests were not entertained by the clerics from either side as both held their protest rallies after the Friday prayers.

Shia reaction

Shia cleric Allama Abbas Komaili, heading the Jafaria Alliance Pakistan rally at Kharadar, condemned the attacks and said at least six members of his sect have been killed during the last 15 days. Komaili felt that a banned Sunni militant outfit is behind the target killings. According to him, the government has failed to provide protection to Shias.

Police and Rangers are doing nothing to stop this mass murder, he said.

Sunni reaction

The leaders of the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat also blamed the government for failing to curb sectarian hits. Qari Ihsan Farooqui said that his organisation had lost 17 members this year. Party officials said that if the killings are not stopped then they would protest in front of the Governor House. Some members of the party also asked Sunnis living in the area to come out to the streets to honour the companions of the Holy Prophet (pbuh). Sindh Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza has asked for a report on these riots.

Published in the Express Tribune, June 12th, 2010.

COMMENTS (1)

Yasser | 13 years ago | Reply Seems third party is involved in this who is neither shia nor sunni, reason could be other political forces are afraid of MMA alliance where Sunnis and Shia would sit together(off course US doesn't want Islamic forces to join hands in Pakistan), also it can be a reaction of what happened to Ahmadis in Lahore. Where are our Intelligence agencies? (Sunni n Shia should understand this conspiracy and talk to each other and sit together and resolve their differences)
Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ