Government using targeted killings to hide incompetence: Afaq Ahmed

Afaq Ahmed lashes out at the ruling coalition for its failure to control law and order.

KARACHI: Targeted killings are taking place in the city on a daily basis because the government and its allies want to distract the public from their own shortcomings, said Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi (MQM-H) chief Afaq Ahmed during a press conference at his home on Tuesday.

“They are sitting and enjoying the [situation] because it means that no one will rise up against inflation and unemployment. If people are freed from the shackles of fear, then you would have many Tahrir Squares in Karachi,” said Afaq, while referring to the public square in Cairo, Egypt, that was the centre of the uprising against former dictator Hosni Mubarak.

Afaq said that over 5,000 people have been killed during the last eight years, including over 1,000 this year alone.

“Why doesn’t the Supreme Court take a suo motu notice of this?” But he later alleged that even the judiciary was being held hostage to “terrorists”. He added that a multitude of criminal cases in Karachi were being ignored while those concerning President Zardari were being taken up.

While talking about minorities, the MQM-H chief said that people should be not be targeted or discriminated against because of their religion.

He added that members of minority communities should be considered equal under the law and should be allowed to openly contest general elections and that “reserved seats” for them should be abolished.

Overseas Pakistanis

The MQM-H chief said that overseas Pakistanis should be given all the rights that their counterparts in the country had. “If they [overseas Pakistanis] are helping the country and providing billions of dollars towards to the economy, then they shouldn’t be deprived of any rights. They should be given all rights, including the right to vote.”

However, he added that overseas Pakistanis like Rehman Malik, Moin Qureshi and Shaukat Aziz, who would come to the country from abroad and then leave soon after, were exceptions.

Afaq proposed that if any oversea Pakistani wanted to contest elections in Pakistan, then he or she should be required to live in the country continuously for 10 years.

Ramzan

“Everyone is welcome to collect zakat during Ramzan, but when weapons or pressure are used during the month, than it is no different from bhatta [extortion],” before adding that he hoped that violence took a back seat, at least during the holy month.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 18^th, 2012.