Karachi violence: Protesters disperse after full day's rampage

The city seems to be suffering from an overdose of ‘education’.

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No doubt Mirza’s statement is provocative and he should be punished but MQM workers should understand and patience. Otherwise Mirza will be happy to see what is happening. MQM leaders should request the emotional workers not to damage their own assets. I think Judiciary or Armed Forces should interfere and stop mirza to act like this.

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Not surprising. Many believe that violence is something without which MQM can not survive. Zulfiqar Mirza’s statement is godsend opportunity for this party. Sevile media is busy projecting minor gatherings by hard core followers with a few tyres into an spontaneous mammoth protests.

Well.let MQM try this. They will be the losers in the end.

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This seems like a showdown between the Party of MQM and PPP and ANP, NOT between Muhajirs, Sindhis, Pathans, Punjabis of Karachi’s residence but the political interest behind it. This is a conspericy against Karachi residents. The people in responsible position fanning hatrated are only seeking a desperate attempt to save themselves from a horrible outcome

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Hooliganism and ghoondaism taking a ride on the people’s back. Is this what Pak democracy brings – no water, no power, no gas, no food, killings, burnings, sufferings, no business, no livelihood, fear of life, demons, chaos, slavery and Big Anger and hoplessness!!
May God have mercy on the people’s sufferings. Ameen!

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@Natasha Suleman: Shows you the true nature of so called education in Pakistan. The rural masses are actually more educated in terms of behaviour and wisdom. As for the truth, why can’t Mirza say it as it is without others resorting to violence?

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It should be criminal for anyone to incite ethnic strife among people of Karachi. Karachi is the economic heart of Pakistan and absolutely no one should be allowed to destabilize this city. This kind of game has been played before few times and only Pakistan lost.

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MQM must understand that the loss of Karachi is their own loss, Zulfiqar Mirza type people come and go, but we have to live in Karachi, so please save your city and be noble. Just consider: “Barking Dogs Seldom Bite”.

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I just came up with this lame poem. I hope you guys will like it a bit [if not more]:

Ek bayan kia nikla Mirza Sahib ke dehn se…
Aath janey gayi is syasi girehn se.

Note: Dehn = Mouth [Farsi]

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Blasphemous remarks of Mirza, hurting the “secular” sensibilities of MQM…

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Countdown to Sindhistan has started…..

Zulfiqar Mirza has lit a fuse and one hopes the fires are doused soon before it causes much damage. These are difficult times where fissiparous elements are waiting for incentives to take centre stage. Balochistan is on the boil and last thing one needed is to provoke and precipitate extreme reactions in Sindh side as well….

If anything happens, history will hold Zulfiqar Mirza responsible for causing this flash point….

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Mirza is an old and trusted friend of Zardari, he was rewarded time and again by Big Z, his wife was made speaker national assembly, is that all not enough for a friend?
Why he opposes MQM so violently? I am from Islamabad and have little knowledge of Karachi but I am greately disturbed by a lethal campaign of PPP Government against a majority party of Sindh. Is this democracy?

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I think the world would be a better place if Pakistani TV channels were shut….cud we just have 1 satellite channel instead of 50+ ?

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Make a statement about Muhajirs and people start dying and the city goes on fire. It is now become clear to us outsiders who is responsible for the state of Karachi. Recommend

To all Mirza lovers , why so hullaballu on the protests in the street ?

If you pass resolutions by the force of Linguistic Majority in the assembly , your Senior Minsiter spits venom about a particular communities ancestors , and if you toil all the tme to subjugate the representatives of Muhajirs in the assemblies ,this is how reactions take shape in the roads and neighbourhoods .

We are the Majority in Karachi , our say is to be weighed , else Other options including ALL options might be excercised .This is the off-shoot of the Democracy , for your information .Recommend

Mirza’s statements is against a particular ethnicity, the makers of Pakistan. Whatever is happening as a reaction is completely justified. We are not a “beygherat Qaum” who will sit silent and watch tamasha, we have given sacrifices and whoever passes any remarks against our loyalties will be treated with iron fist — being literate doesn’t mean we are defenseless.

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So ‘educated’ people justify murder for a few condemnable words under the cover of ‘gherat’. What pathetic state has this country come to.

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//Blasphemous remarks of Mirza, hurting the “secular” sensibilities of MQM… //

Precisely.

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@ Tanzeel

For you killing of innocent people is Ghairat in the name of Altaf Hussain, but you have no Ghairat in the name of ALLAH and his messenger Muhammad SAW. who forbids this act.

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Such educated responses from the so called educated people of an ‘ethnic’ party. You guys tried to become a national party but at the end of the day your true colours are exposed you are nothing but an ethnic pressure group.

Why your sensibilities arent hurt when you make fun of Pathans, Punjabis and Sindhis calling them paindoos, jaaahil and all other names

Why isnt your ghairat aroused when you cuddle upto the PPP time and time again for ministries and power?

Whats the difference between you and rabid Mullahs who are willing to kill anyone and everyone for differences of opinion

Its all a sham and everyone knows it, whining and crying wont get you anywhere if you have guts stand up for a principle rather than fall for every stupid statement uttered by a useless individual. But then why expect substance when clearly there isnt any…..

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@birbal, because they are from Karachi and they were born ‘educated’!!!!!!!

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My dear friends, dont fight each other, just pray for the peace and prosperity in Karachi and in Pakistan. But, bloodshed and terrorism is only weakening Karachi, so dont support anything which endanger this metropolis.

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1) – Who will be responsible for those 100+ innocent people, killed in these voilences.
2) – Who will be responsible for those poor families, who heavily rely on day to day wages, and they couldn’t earn any thing due to this strike, voilence and shutterdown.
3) – Who will be responsible of burning those vehicles, properties and assets.
4) – Who will be responsible for ruining the image of our country in the international world.

Please stop all this, wake up now, and identify all these who is right and who is wrong. These politician are all same, no difference. They only love power, nothing else.

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This is absolutely stupid. If Mirza made statements against the MQM leader than make statements against Mirza why have you resorted to killing people?

This killing and terrorism in Karachi is TREASON against Pakistan!

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Looks like the largest province racists have again proved to be myopic and not objective. Since they are the greatest usurpers of resources and rights in Pakistan, they are very conveniently siding with their side kicks in the South. The Urdu speaking community has never been accepted as the sons of the soil and will never be accepted in the future as well. My parents used to tell us stories regarding discrimination against them in schools in Punjab, especially being called different names but we never took them seriously, however, now it is evidently clear that we should not waste our time, energy and resources any more to prove ourselves as the sons of the soil as it will now be a futile exercise.

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What’s the usual percentage of innocent that get killed in these killings? Why isn’t the vote bank affected when the voters know that the party they vote for is involved in acts of fascism?

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Frankk, you won teh debate. Think you are one of the most talented or may be the most informed person in Pakistan. Mahajors will lost majority till 2020 and Pashtuns would be the majority in Karachi. That is what Mahajors want to stop. The military operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has increased the prsocess of migration and it may happen within a few years. They should go back to Ganga Jamna. That is thier motherland. The are not from Indus valley.

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i’m a sufi and a humanist, do not believe in discrimination on linguistic ,ethnic or religious basis. what you call that group who claim to be educated, liberal, enlightened representatives of middle class of biggest city in Pakistan, who do not even have courage to listen if anything is said against them or their so called revolutionary QUID by a “mad man”.. and the only response they are known to show is through violence on the streets of the city which they claim to be theirs!! they always talk about the sacrifices of their elders gave for creation of Pakistan does this mean that the people living in current boundaries of Pakistan just listened it on Radio (in words of Khuwaja Izhar of MQM ) that a country has been created on their soil! what about the people of Punjab and Sindh who opened their doors for millions of migrants and gave them the food and land to settle.wasn’t Sindh the first provincial assembly which passed resolution in favor of Pakistan?
if the love for Pakistan was the only reason for migration of their elders then what about the majority of Muslims in united India who decided not to leave their homes and come to Pakistan.
“Mad man” has spoken the truth but may be in a harsh way……

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I hope Zulfiqar Mirza is proud of himself!

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Why dont people understand? You are killing your own! How many people living on daily wage will go hingry! We are on the verge of collapse. I lost all hopes. :(

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@ Hassan

You call MQM racist but in the end you end up passing racist remarks against the people of an entire city… Enough hypocrisy nahi?

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Absolute barbarism. On each side’s part.

This is how Pakistan will get eaten up from the inside out. But we will continue to blame the world and outside forces for our troubles.

Shame on us. And shame on what we do to our nation and our people every single day.

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Natasha becomes immediately hyperactive supporter of anything and anyone appearing to be anti MQM. Yes, education does teach to stand up for your rights without fear of persecution or condemnation by forces of all Jaageerdar, Zameendar, Chaudhry, Mirs, Khans, Vadehras and their likes. Education is antidote of feudalism and subjugaion and expoitation of people.

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DID some body ever think how the family of those peoples who been killed in this FASAD
will survive the counrty where no wellfare sysytem at all exist where govt dont provide a
social security to its peoples and where faimilies run by man not woman and if some body
die whole family suffer why man why u peoples do this to those poor peoples who all ready
dying of hunger and unjust fuedal system all selfishness and family pride is high for them
this is make me cry.

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I am a Muhajir and belong and live in Karachi. I just want to say that all this violence is extremely deplorable; However, I must say that MQM commands genuine respect in the city because it is the lesser of all the big 3 evils; namely ANP, PPP and MQM. Ask any trader in Judia Bazaar or any other commercial market in Karachi, the thugs and gangs of Lyari(Almost all of them are controlled by Peoples Amn Committee which is an offshoot of PPP and its leaders control them) are taking Bhatta or extortion money on regular basis.If somebody refuses they resort to kidnapping and other lethal violence. MQM since Musharraf’s time has now almost abandoned the Bhatta culture which was once prevalent in its roots. ANP on the other hand is also not far behind in taking extortion money. I have been an Audit trainee in a Big 4 firm for almost two and a half years, and in that period I have yet to visit any factory in Site area and in Korangi which do not gives monthly homage to the thugs of ANP. The areas controlled by ANP for eg: Pehalwan Goth, Alasif Market , Banaras etc are a complete no go areas for any community including Punjabis and even Hazars. Areas of Lyari are also a no go area for any non Balochi member.MQM controlled areas are open for everybody and Pathans and Sindhis go there for work everyday. Pathan rehri walas and buses are found all across the city Even near nine zero. It is a deplorable situation in Karachi, but MQM is not all to blame. There was a massacre of Urdu speaking people in Qasba Colony and the general feeling is that MQM is trying to show its muscle. It is giving the signal that enough is enough and is ready to resort to violence if necessary.However, other parties are more to blame than just MQM. PPP decision to repeal to magistrate system has been extremely unpopular with the Karachi masses;cause the only time Karachi saw any of its progress was when there was Nazim system weather it was Mustufa Kamal of MQM or Naimatullah Khan of Jamaat e Islami. I am neither a sympathizer of any of the political parties, however, I would like people to take into consideration all the facts when making comments about the situation in Karachi.

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Billafond, r u responding to most respectful person Mr. Abdul Sattar Eidhi, PPI, and some other parties who asked to bring the Army to establish peace. Recommend

@Adnan:
Very good and independent assesment – Thanks.

Land Mafia and Bhutta extornists are the major enemy of Karachi and Karachi people. When they see if their interest is compromised or find any hurdle, they start to ignite Pathan-Muhajir problem (which is not there at all) and see the Karachi burn. Pathaans and Muhajirs are living in Karachi since the partitian peacefully.

I remember when Gohar Ayub took out rally in Karachi near Liaquatabad, his people resorted to firing in the air but some people killed. At that time some tension started b/w them but later they were living like brothers. Wali Khan and Altaf Hussain had very cordial relations and lead their communities from the front and preach them to live like Muslims.

If Government has to seriously take care of Karachi peace, it has to eradicate Land Grabbers and Bhutta extornists otherwise the will keep people busy in igniting them to show that it is a target killing which is in fact not the case.
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Leave karachi alone! If you are muslims who care about other muslims, have mercy on our people, join hands and live in harmony. It’s about time we fulfill our obligations as muslim brothers and sisters.

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There is no difference between terrorists whether wearing a white cap in FATA or those jeans punks in Karachi.

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I believe my forefathers have taken Wrong decision in 1947 to move to newly formed country exclusively for Muslims. Now we cannot go back to our native land which is part of India. This is our country, otherwise all of us shall go to Arabian sea and fell in it. Khudha Hafiz.

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This is not the first time Zulfiquar Mirza has uttered venomous words against MQM. It is a most irresponsible act and must be condemn from every peace loving person.. I highly appreciate the action of Altaf Hussain in calling off protest and showing a leadership quality. Other parties should come forward in keeping the peace in Karachi. Mr. Misza must think twice before opening his mouth against any community and political party.This is creating a bad image of PPP. If these accusations are not stopped then a day will come when it will be too late to stop a demand for a seperate province for Karach. See the example of Bangladesh it was one province in 1974 and it has more than 20 provinces. Even India has created more provinces based on language. And by creating more provinces India is much more stronger economically and politically. Pakistan should create 3 more provinces in Punjab,one in khyber Pukhtoonkhah, 2 in baluchistan and one in sindh After creating more provinces we will see matuarity in people thinking, political sense and mutual coexistance will take place among cizen of Pakistan. We will prosper and there will be slogan for Azad Baluchistan.

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If Mirza statement is immoral then 17 killings and 40 cars burning is good news? Life has no value?
All parties should think about Pakistan and must forget their personal benefits, they all have culprits in their parties and Police appointments are on political basis.
According to Saleem Safi column Mr. President said to someone with smile ” how did i engage in fighting MQM and ANP”.
How responsible is our president then we can assume what will be condition of our other parties?
Solution is “depoliticize Police and free Karachi from weapons and then take stern steps against culprits across the board”.

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Karachi witnessed one of its worst spates of violence and turbulence a day before after the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) gave a countrywide call for holding demonstrations, protesting the racial and highly bigoted comments of the Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP’s) senior provincial minister Zulfiqar Mirza about the Urdu-speaking people and the leadership of the MQM. Riots erupted in Karachi other cities of Sindh, in which 18 people lost their lives. Over 40 vehicles and 11 shops were torched. Life came to a standstill and the already battered economy suffered losses of around Rs 26 billion in just two days in a week. Such a violent reaction was irrational and out of context. The MQM leadership, being a major political force, could have responded with immaturity against Mirza’s statement by demonstrating violent protests and rallies .The protests became violent and brutal and were thus unjustifiable. Though the outspoken Mirza was prevented by his party from speaking so recklessly in future and furthermore it was not the party policy, as PPP is already pursuing policy of reconciliation. MQM should not forget that Karachi is part of Sindh province and not the private property of any political group. In a city where the atrocious spree of political violence and targeted killings among various ethnic groups has become a routine, such a matter should have been dealt with sensibly and not with emotions. The responsibility of maintaining law and order falls on every political party that enjoys the support of the people of Karachi. Ethnic violence has been largely fuelled by hostility and rivalry among these three political parties, with the dangerous stoking of ethnic sentiments. The spate of gun battles among the heavily armed factions is claiming many live on a daily basis. Life for the general public has become precarious as frequent disturbances and the accompanying shutter down strikes bring the city to a standstill again and again.Recommend