Violence in Karachi

It is sad when those who claim to want to protect us, cannot refrain from violence themselves.

The country’s business and commercial capital has once again descended into chaos and was shut down for the second time in as many days, on the afternoon of May 2. Another leader of a powerful political party in the city, the MQM, had tragically been gunned down in a targeted killing. In the latest incident, the police chief has stated that the event seemed geared towards triggering ethnic violence.

The refrain is so familiar now that people are no longer surprised. A political party leader is killed, and all chaos erupts; shops and businesses are shut down, billions are lost and massive traffic jams ensue, with a smattering of cars put on fire as people rush home. In the commotion, another four or five people are usually killed; in this case the driver and cleaner of a truck carrying construction material among others, were gunned down.

What comes after is also no surprise. The major political players in the city ‘strongly condemn the incident’ and play blame games, and the government of the day is invariably criticised for failing to ensure law and order or provide security to the citizens. No group or individual is eventually held responsible, with each claiming the other is attempting to malign its name. At some point, all these players will join hands and pledge peace, which will hold till the next targeted killing.

It is the ordinary Pakistani who is most affected by the vagaries of the players in this drama. At any odd day, he or she will not get access to fuel, (petrol pumps being the first to shut down, lest they become targets of arson), or even be able to get access to basic food items, unless they find the one or two shops that continue to operate behind lowered shutters. And the economy in this process, of course, suffers greatly.

It is time those hoping to come to power on the basis of votes show that they are worthy of delivering good governance, by making real and meaningful attempts at providing people with their basic need of security. It is sad, indeed, when those who claim to want to protect us, cannot refrain from violence themselves.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 4^th, 2011.