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Target killings jolt already jittery Karachi
Death toll from Karachi target killings rises to 18 as the city is hit by violent protests.
People protested in Rizvia Colony against target killings. PHOTO: EXPRESS
KARACHI:
The death toll from target killings in Karachi rose to 18 by Tuesday morning as the city saw violent protests on Monday evening.
According to Superintendent of Police Liaqatabad, late Monday night unidentified gunmen opened fire on rangers after the funeral of another target killing victim, Tanvir Rizvi.
The exchange of bullets killed two people and injured two others. Protestors later took to the streets, setting fire to three vehicles near Golimar Chorangi.
Updated from print edition (below)
Target killings jolt already jittery Karachi
With the city already tense, the phenomenon of target killing has reared its head again. At least five people were killed on Monday – taking the toll to 15 over the last 24 hours.
With tensions rising further in the city as funerals of those killed on Sunday night were taken out, Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani called Chief Minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah and asked him to take immediate steps to restore law and order situation.
According to media office of the prime minister, he also telephoned Interior Minister Rehman Malik and directed him to take note of the situation.
However, the city’s ruling party, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), has expressed no confidence in those responsible for maintaining law and order.
In fact, the MQM has directly accused the Sindh home minister and federal interior minister of being responsible for renewed targeted killings and unrest in the city and said they had failed to maintain peace and security in the Sindh metropolis.
Addressing a press conference at Nine-Zero, the party’s headquarters, on Monday, MQM’s Deputy Convenor Dr Farooq Sattar said they were actually responsible for maintaining the law and order situation in the megapolis.Dr Sattar was accompanied by members of Rabita Committee including Nasreen Jalil, Mustafa Kamal, Wasim Aftab, Kanwar Khalid Younus and Dr Sagheer Ahmed. Urging the president and the prime minister to take notice of this issue, Dr Sattar said although MQM has always tried to keep peace and security intact, there are certain elements who wish to see the city constantly cowering under the shadows of terrorist activities. He vowed to foil conspiracies to create an ethnic rift in the city. Dr Imran Farooq’s murder was a big tragedy in the history of Pakistan and MQM leaders and all its workers have always struggled to bring peace to the city, but terrorist elements want to establish that the fresh targeted killings were being carried out in reaction to Dr Farooq’s murder. Notwithstanding the 10-day mourning, Dr Sattar said, MQM workers were carrying out flood relief work. Presenting a breakdown of the death toll, he said that 12 people had so far been gunned down in various city localities, including two MQM workers, three workers of Sipah-i-Sahaba and one of Jafaria Alliance.
Criticising inefficiency of security agencies, he said that gun-toting terrorists were roaming free in the city despite heavy presence of law-enforcement personnel. “No one is willing to take action against them.” He said that security agencies’ silence makes one wonder: If the interior ministry was not involved, why does the government not expose elements involved in criminal activities. Urging the international community to understand the situation in Karachi and try to unveil the real actors behind the conspiracy, Dr Sattar appealed to MQM workers to follow party discipline at all cost.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 21st, 2010.
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Reader Comments (33)
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What is this hopeles police doing, everytime we read these sotires we get the same “Police has started patrolling the city and tightened security after the fresh incidents.” God…if you cant do your job then why do you have to irritate people more by your empty statements. Recommend
welcome back to the 90s….Recommend
Farooq Sattar of MQM has blamed the provincial government for today’s situation of Karachi. MQM, according to him, is a peaceful organisation. Can you imagine that?Recommend
Another week of isolation for the citizens…Recommend
MQM has become so popular all of a sudden…Recommend
Deploying rangers , police is not the solution .. the anger and frustration increases after after seeing those dumbheads Recommend
I wonder how Express alowed your post Mr Mamdani. it is below my dignity to respond to your comments. It definately potrayed your mentality Recommend
Karachi of today – brother is killing brother. Karachi in 1970 was a calm and quite city and known as “City of Lights”.
Where the “City” of 1970’s has gone today? As KESC put off the lights of apartments, houses even the street lights due to load-shedding, now the “City of Lights” is lightened by torching mini-buses, wagon, cars and motor-cycles and moreover killing our own brothers.
Can’t we live like real brothers and good neighbours? Can’t we bring back the glories of 1970 once again?
My dear brothers, think twice before you act. You are burning your own city. A day will come when the city will turn into ashes, then where will you live? Recommend
Without urdu speakers there would be no pakistan or karachi….Recommend
And why is this racism allowed here?? Recommend
@HS comment has been deleted. Thank you for bringing it to our attention. Best regards (Web Editor)Recommend
Current government is failed to maintain peace in Karachi and there is no administration in this government. Why target killings in Karachi? Why there was peace in previous government and Karachi was doing good economically and progressively in previous govt? Recommend
There are many option on the table,
one of them a military action,
that is better.
The days are numbered of those
responsible for unrest in Karachi.
they are working on the Agenda
so way is being paved for military rule.
Chances of Musharrf’s coming to Pakistan
has been brighten.
.Recommend
please check out http://www.islamicsolutions.com/if-it-is-extreme-it-is-not-islam/Recommend
yar i don’t believe that how come our authorities can’t stop them..they know who they are…but still……they just patrol & patrol…… it’s better that there should be no police in karachi and local athourities should be responsible for security…cause thier presence dosen;t matter.Recommend
People who don’t believe or do in conspiracies should note that every time there has been a dismissal of an elected PPP government, it has been preceeded by terrible violence in Karachi inevitably involving the MQM. Maybe, it is a completely coincidence!!Recommend
Karachi Police and Provincial Home Ministers are non locals. They are here to make money and protect the politicians and VIPs. The police Act of 1861 made by the occupants (Goras). The policing of Karachi needs to be handed over to locals and the community based policing. It is the only option to bring peace in Karachi. The bureaucrats from Islamabad make decisions about Karachi. How can you bring harmony amongst the community? The looters, politicians(non locals) everyone are supporting the criminals to get hold of the city which is resulting tussle among them. Karachi’s problem would be resolved only by allowing locals participation in local police and community police system. Which these current leaders will not allow and let Karachi bleed. It is non of their interest as their family, friend and relatives do not live here or live in the posh areas under tight security. We need a revolution… Recommend
This violence reminds me of Germany, just before Nazi took over in that country in 1930s. Although some thing like that can’t possibly happen in Pakistan for demographic reasons, but it surely reminds me tactics of intimidation and violence, which Nazi used to come into power. Recommend
Blood of innocent is cheap in this game of politics. The government is turning blind eye for the sake of political exegencies,meaning they just want to rule while the innocents to keep getting killed.
Shame on you Zardari, Yousaf raza Gilani, Altaf Hussain, Asfandyar Wali and the Maulanas as all of you are guilty for the sake of your political interets.Recommend
General Public should not trust the police etc and stay away from violent areas of Karachi. Stay at your homes or work premisis, unless urgency prevails. Limit your movements. This is anarchy and no one is responsible for your lives other than your own self.
Keep your self and your families safe.
Best wishes to all the peaceful inhabitants of KarachiRecommend
Karachi is so vulnerable. Recommend
pakistan na khappyRecommend
Lets all take a look at this: http://changepk.com/2010/09/20/imran-farooq-murder-zardari-stabs-altafs-revolution-plans/Recommend
its all nothing new in karachi its happening since long ago and several goverments came in 20 years but no result still we are suffering from these all things which is not good for us as citizen of karachi i would like to reqest all parties and all of them please stop that war and save our city and country.Recommend
In 48 Hours 20 Karachities expired !!, No One was Pakhtoon in the name of expired peoples. While, Rumors and hate mongers are back hitting on MQM for the current wave of Targeted Killings in Pakistan. MQM Rabitta Committee lashed out the Zulfiqar Mirza for the current wave of targeted Killings. Personally, It seems like a Propaganda / Conspiracy against MQM. MQM lost their 2 workers also in this Targeted Killings.Recommend
Thank you very much for a nice coverage but based on this the target killing and the natural calamity many prophets of doom have started drawing doomsday scenarios for Pakistan which reminds me of the book “7 Deadly Scenarios”. This book paints such a gloomy picture of tomorrow’s world particularly the USA. Its focus is on the collapse of Pakistan but it unwittingly predicts USA’s economic meltdown. He quotes unjustifiable support for Israel as one of the factors leading to a troublesome future for the USA. Please read more at: link textRecommend
very easy to understand dear fellows, please check out http://changepk.com/2010/09/21/sipah-e-sahaba-gets-zulfiqar-mirzas-welcome-in-karachi/
specially checkout the last lines.Recommend
Also this might be of some interest: http://changepk.com/2010/09/21/sipah-e-sahaba-gets-zulfiqar-mirzas-welcome-in-karachi/Recommend
Citizens of Pakistan condemn such activities to de stabilize the country and it is important for the civil society to take action and urge all to sieze this which is giving free hand to the Taliban.Recommend
A small scale operation on suspected spots should be done asap. Always raids where arms are being illegally sold and vehicle checking should be taken in actions. It’s almost 8 months that Karachi without any indemnity of any month, has to bear target killing.Recommend
My uncle’s bus was burned on the sir syed girls college square. It would cost around 2.5 to 3 million rupee to get a bus like that… who is responsible for these burnings and killings? The driver of the bus told us that he was dropping off some passengers when people with their faces covered entered the bus and set it on fire, there were women still in the bus as it was set on fire… It’s really depressing for our family, you work so hard all your life to build a business, to make a living and then animals burn it in a matter of minutes!
I consoled my uncles by telling him that he’s still alive and there are many other people dead because of target killing in the last few days…. that’s all I could remind him!! This is what living in Karachi has come to!!
May those who kill innocent people and burn property, burn in hell for a long long time, no matter what their reason. AmeenRecommend
@ Jahanzaib Haque, thank you appreciate itRecommend
this is the conprancy behind it. It is clear that some world forcess are not happy to see pakistan as a stable country they what to destablised the country becouse are country is the fist islamic atomic power.there is so many resonse behind all this they are realy trieing to demolish our litrate class. they are in search to get the way by which this degreated force whant to backward the islamic slogin.
In the light of islamic education every muslim is the brother of the other but what kind of preaching the Talibans are feeding to the inocent peoples if they are fundamantliest in islam why thay are Targeting the inocent and armless people, is this idia to get the HEAVEN by a shortcut. infact they are paying killers which are in the face of muslims, if you will see the islamic education our prophet (PBUH) did opposite what they are (TALIBAN) doing.Recommend