Everything but results

KARACHI: Although several meetings have been held to bring an end to the target killings in the city, a positive outcome is yet to be seen. Government officials met with Rangers and police personnel last week as well. During the meetings it was decided that the police and Rangers would establish contact with residents of the affected areas and use their help to carry out conclusive investigation.

They were also instructed to continue snap checks and ensure that nobody violates the ban on pillion riding, keeping in mind the fact that almost all of the target killings have been carried out by men on motorcycles, usually two on the same bike. According to sources in the police department, two separate groups are involved in target killings. The sources, requesting anonymity, also said that the suspects involved in these killings are 20 to 25 years old. Meanwhile, according to the police, their strategy involves using information from locals but so far, no conclusive result has been reached.

Earlier, the Capital City Police Officer Waseem Ahmed had admitted the law enforcement agencies’ failure in bringing the killings to a halt. Most of the killers are associated with political parties, which provides them a great deal of protection that the police are unable to breach, Ahmed had said. However, the CCPO had at the same time promised that these criminals will be held accountable, so long as the political parties supported the police.

One of the reasons put behind the unabated violence in the city was said to be the large amount of weapons in the city, the CCPO was stated as saying. However, no steps have been taken to deweaponise Karachi.

Despite the ban on pillion riding, enforced about a year-and-a-half ago, and greater powers for the Rangers, as well as the installation of surveillance cameras and snap checking, target killings and sectarian violence continues to hurt countless people and their families across the city.

Published in the Express Tribune, June 16^th, 2010.