KARACHI: The offices of the Sunni Tehreek (ST) and Ahle Sunnat wal Jamaat (ASWJ) were destroyed by the Frontier Constabulary (FC) and the police during a joint operation in Godhra Colony on Friday night.
At around 2:45 am, about 500 FC men conducted a door-to-door search in Godhra Camp after cordoning off the whole area. No one was allowed to enter or leave the area till 5 am, during the 135-minute operation.
According to the police, the federal government ordered the FC to launch the operation after a joint interrogation report found that that the offices were being used for terrorist activities. Javed Jabba of ST and Shoaib Ghanfia of the ASWJ, formerly known as the Sipah-e-Sahaba (SSP), who were arrested during earlier raids, revealed during interrogations that the offices of the ST and ASWJ were used to hatch plans for terrorist activities.
SHO Ishtiaq Ghauri confirmed that the FC received orders from the federal government to conduct the raids and the police provided back-up. He said that no arms or ammunition were found during the operation but some literature was seized.
Both organisations condemned the operation and claimed that it would provoke violence.
Fahim Qadri, the ST spokesman, claimed that the operation was illegal because they were not notified beforehand. “Even if the office was illegal, the agencies have to follow a certain procedure,” he said. “What is the job of the law enforcement agencies? Anti-encroachment, anti-terrorism or anti-extremism? They should join the city government.”
On the other hand, the ameer of the Karachi chapter of the ASWJ, Aurangzaib Farooqi, claimed that his organisation was not involved in any kind of terror activity. According to him, the security forces demolished a library since there was no office. “These raids will fuel resentment instead of establishing peace,” he said.
The residents have mixed opinions about the operation. Although many women and children took to the streets in protest when the operation began the security agencies were able to calm them down. Amir, a resident, said that security agencies could have saved many lives by taking this step earlier. Yet another resident, who refused to give his name, said that political parties were behind unrest in the city and should be punished. But he was sceptical about the operation. According to him, the government is acting against religious organisations at the behest of “foreign countries”.
The local administration also helped the FC and the police by providing them with bulldozers, equipment and labourers to raze illegal street barriers, banners, boards and the buildings. A heavy contingent of law enforcers was deployed in the area to deter violence and prevent reconstruction.
The offices of the ST and ASWJ were also raided on August 23. The ST headquarters near Bheempura was raided thrice by the Rangers. On October 7, the head office was raided again, twice in a day, and central leader, Shahid Ghauri, was arrested with a member of its rabita committee, Mobin Qadri, with six others. Besides ST, the offices of Muttahida Qaumi Moverment, Awami National Party, Peoples Amn Committee and the residence of the chief of Jeay Sindh Qaunmi Mahaz have also been searched.
About two dozen people, including women and children, lost their lives during armed clashes between the Deoband and Barelvi schools of thought earlier in the year and over half a dozen suspects from both organisations, involved in over 18 target killings and extortion in Godhra Camp were arrested with a huge cache of weapons.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 15th, 2011.
COMMENTS (23)
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Before TTP, KP & Peshawar was totally peaceful ... every one used to be busy in daily life and earning a their lively hood unlike in Punjab and Sindh where every Tom & Jerry opened their sectarian outfits to kill innocent people. Next time please include at least 10% force of encounter specialists to get rid of such Anti-State elements. "Fahim Qadri, the ST spokesman, said. “Even if the office was illegal, the agencies have to follow a certain procedure,” he said. “What is the job of the law enforcement agencies? Anti-encroachment, anti-terrorism or anti-extremism? They should join the city government.” When you don't follow a law why should the Govt follow any procedure in getting rid of people who are a cancer of this country. Start living your own family life or face the music.
This is more like it, go after ALL sectarian organizations equally
Finally we are heading in the accurate direction ,
Keep it up. A step towards the right direction. I wish Mian Bros also learn something.
Its a start towards brining these hoodlums to their senses. Not only the sunni Takreeek but all extreamist groups in Pakistan should be made to respect the law of the land. These extreamist group should me made to realize that religion cannot be used to intimidate, Kill or terrorize the common law abiding citizens.
Go for the root cause tableeghi jamaat.
Recently these thugs were part of APC. Stern action should be taken against all Qabza Groups. Religious parties should be extra careful while indulging in these dirty works. I hope the government in Punjab will also take similar steps.
Need to keep the momentum going and make these laws permanent.
extra vigilance by govt of pakistan and sindh can take away militancy and extremism from pakistan soil for ever and ever. in coming days these groups may start killing and hooliganism but they should be treated with iron fist so that they dont dare raise up again.
Good step... For the first time, I feel like giving respect to rehman malik and the PPP govt for their action. religious extremism is the biggest threat to Pakistan.
Good work! Now will the GOP also do something about the scores of unregistered, unauthorized madressahs spewing violence and hatred all over islamabad, right under the govts nose. They are occupying every vacant piece of land they can find and the hordes have now begun now attacking girls schools and colleges. Reported in this newspaper earlier last week.
Police should arrest the cannibals of "Sippa Sahaba" group in Godhra.
I hope Nawaz Sharif doesn't get his judiciary boys to take a suo moto notice of this too!
I wish PMLN could also show the same courage to do the same in Punjab.
Good job, I really hope Punjab police follow the footsteps of Sindh Police and other law enforcement agencies and take good care of these molvis.
Excellent! Get rid the one which is Gulshan-e-Iqbal Block 10-A, behind QARNI Masjid as well.
Excellent step taken by government agencies. All activities of banned and extremist parties should be watched by agencies everytime.
A step taken in right direction. At last.
Superb step, keep going government. This must continue to give strong signal to all political and religious parties in karachi who held hostage 20 million karachiites that government is now asserting its power.
Excellent, get rid of all this religious extremism. No religious sanctitiy will get treaded upon, no one's religious sentiments will be violated because all these outfits are nothing but violent criminal mafias firing their guns on the shoulders of Islam. My islam has nothing to do with all this, wrap em' all up!