A day after the city’s traders decided to reach a deal with extortionists, signalling their complete loss of faith in the state, things at the Chief Minister House took a turn for the better as the chief minister finally decided to whip some sense into the top brass of the law enforcers.
Accepting a state within a state in Karachi, some traders have finally decided to regularly pay extortion money from Rs500 to Rs1,000 per shop for their protection. Taking note of the worsening situation, Qaim Ali Shah called a meeting of law enforcers early Wednesday morning.
“This is enough now. The government has given full powers to police and Rangers and I want to see tangible results because I am tired of presiding over meetings on deteriorating security situation in Karachi,” said Shah. “This is high time now for strict action against negligent police officials.”
Expressing disappointment over the Karachi police performance, he announced he would carry out surprise “night raids” at police stations.
The Sindh chief minister, however, appeared helpless as he took on the task to woo police officials to flex their muscles to put a check on the deteriorating security situation in Karachi.
Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon, Karachi Commissioner Hashim Raza Zaidi, Additional IG Iqbal Mehmood and Rangers director general Major Gen Rizwan Akhtar were present at the meeting. Officials of home department, intelligence agencies and police briefed them about the recent spate of targeted killings and the measures being taken in order to avert further incidents.
“No security arrangements have been made despite my orders,” Shah lamented. “I want to know why these orders have not been executed.”
He asked the police officials why no satisfactory measures had been taken in areas such as Sohrab Goth, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Saddar and MA Jinnah Road, where most of the violent incidents have been reported. Police was also told to keep an eye on a few key people from religious parties, beef up security and set up pickets in various areas during Muharram.
Killings continue
But all this could not deter the assassins, who, enjoying impunity as ever, shot dead eight more people on Wednesday in the continuing spree of targeted killings.
The victims included two people belonging to the Deoband school of thought. A seminary teacher, identified as 32-year-old Maulana Samiullah, was shot dead at Ghazi Salahuddin Road. Bahadurabad police said he was a teacher at Masjid-e-Tauheed. The muezzin of Jama Masjid Noor-e-Subhani on Nishtar Road was gunned down outside the mosque by two armed men on a motorcycle. Qari Imran Waheedullah, 35, was standing at a shop when was shot several times.
Both the victims were claimed to have been associated with the Ahle Sunnat wal Jamaat by its spokesperson Maulana Taj Hanfi. Six other people, including a political activist, were also shot dead in targeted attacks in different areas.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 15th, 2012.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ