Third force & target killings: ANP, MQM trade allegations
Both parties on the same page as far as investigation, information is concerned.
KARACHI:
After Interior Minister Rehman Malik blamed a covert “third force” for the target killings in Karachi, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and the Awami National Party — whose activists have been hit the hardest — insinuated that the third force is sponsored by either party.
During the television show, ‘Pakistan Poochta Hai’ [Pakistan Wants to Know] hosted by Munizae Jahangir on Express News on Tuesday night, ANP’s Senator Haji Adeel claimed the third force was not indigenous to Karachi. The third force includes foreigners “who are imported” to spread violence in the city, he said. “When we raised this issue, [Rehman] Malik admitted in the Senate that visitors arrive in the city from South Africa, do their work and escape on the next flight back within 24 hours. Who are these people? Who pays for their ticket? Who provides them arms?”
Meanwhile, Khawaja Izharul Hassan, the MQM’s representative, explicitly said “militants” residing in ANP-strong neighbourhoods were behind the target killings. He explained that in the MQM-strong vicinities, there are identified people: an identified voter, an identified supporter and an identified MQM mob. However, parties such as the ANP, who are working on an ethnic and religious agenda in Karachi, do not have an identified mob and they do not have identified voters, Hassan added. “Are there Pakistanis residing in their vicinities?”
He supported his argument by saying that 81 high-profile, most-wanted criminals were not arrested from MQM areas but from ANP areas.
Army or no army?
The show was aired on Tuesday, the day of the Rangers operation in Orangi against alleged target killers. At least 400 men were arrested during the operation.
Senator Adeel expressed the ANP’s disapproval of the way the operation was being conducted. The operation should not be held in one area but it needs to be “across the board”. “The operation needs to be in the whole city, simultaneously, under the supervision of the army,” he said.
Suspects escape to other, safer areas when an operation is being conducted in one area and return once it is over, Adeel explained. “An operation, like the one conducted in Swat, needs to be done in Karachi.”
‘The names’
Both party representatives agreed that investigations have been completed and the police and Rangers have the names of the perpetrators. “The Inter-Services Intelligence and the Intelligence Bureau had prepared a report on target killers and listed the organisations they work for, that was handed over to Malik, who then presented the report to the prime minister,” Adeel declared.
MQM’s Hassan also had similar information. “FIRs have been registered in the presence of Rangers and on behalf of the Rangers. We have given Rehman Malik a list of 150 people. We have even seen the police report and the DIG (East) resigned after submitting it. He has written [in his report about] where these militants are residing.”
Both party members agreed that even after submission of many reports, nothing has been done.
Compiled by Neha Ansari
Published in The Express Tribune, January 2011.
After Interior Minister Rehman Malik blamed a covert “third force” for the target killings in Karachi, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and the Awami National Party — whose activists have been hit the hardest — insinuated that the third force is sponsored by either party.
During the television show, ‘Pakistan Poochta Hai’ [Pakistan Wants to Know] hosted by Munizae Jahangir on Express News on Tuesday night, ANP’s Senator Haji Adeel claimed the third force was not indigenous to Karachi. The third force includes foreigners “who are imported” to spread violence in the city, he said. “When we raised this issue, [Rehman] Malik admitted in the Senate that visitors arrive in the city from South Africa, do their work and escape on the next flight back within 24 hours. Who are these people? Who pays for their ticket? Who provides them arms?”
Meanwhile, Khawaja Izharul Hassan, the MQM’s representative, explicitly said “militants” residing in ANP-strong neighbourhoods were behind the target killings. He explained that in the MQM-strong vicinities, there are identified people: an identified voter, an identified supporter and an identified MQM mob. However, parties such as the ANP, who are working on an ethnic and religious agenda in Karachi, do not have an identified mob and they do not have identified voters, Hassan added. “Are there Pakistanis residing in their vicinities?”
He supported his argument by saying that 81 high-profile, most-wanted criminals were not arrested from MQM areas but from ANP areas.
Army or no army?
The show was aired on Tuesday, the day of the Rangers operation in Orangi against alleged target killers. At least 400 men were arrested during the operation.
Senator Adeel expressed the ANP’s disapproval of the way the operation was being conducted. The operation should not be held in one area but it needs to be “across the board”. “The operation needs to be in the whole city, simultaneously, under the supervision of the army,” he said.
Suspects escape to other, safer areas when an operation is being conducted in one area and return once it is over, Adeel explained. “An operation, like the one conducted in Swat, needs to be done in Karachi.”
‘The names’
Both party representatives agreed that investigations have been completed and the police and Rangers have the names of the perpetrators. “The Inter-Services Intelligence and the Intelligence Bureau had prepared a report on target killers and listed the organisations they work for, that was handed over to Malik, who then presented the report to the prime minister,” Adeel declared.
MQM’s Hassan also had similar information. “FIRs have been registered in the presence of Rangers and on behalf of the Rangers. We have given Rehman Malik a list of 150 people. We have even seen the police report and the DIG (East) resigned after submitting it. He has written [in his report about] where these militants are residing.”
Both party members agreed that even after submission of many reports, nothing has been done.
Compiled by Neha Ansari
Published in The Express Tribune, January 2011.