![for political parties their victims karachi s fitra collection more sin than sawab for political parties their victims karachi s fitra collection more sin than sawab](https://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/419946-FitraDESIGNFAIZANDAWOOD-1344537347.jpg)
This newspaper cannot name the political parties in this story where we need to.
We apologise.
Instead, we bring you silence - of the police, the Orangi family who lost their son and the businessmen. This silence is about the gouging of the city’s populace before Eid when charity gathering turns into extortion.
“I have five more brothers. I can’t risk their lives by talking to the media,” comes the plain reply from the brother of the 21-year-old intermediate student Muhammad Shahid who was shot dead in Orangi last Wednesday.
The family couldn’t fork out Rs40,000 in Fitra demanded by political activists. “Our house has since been fired at. Outside, people are watching us,” he whispers. Their home at Rehmat Chowk sits right next to a political party’s neighbourhood office, since sealed, six activists reportedly suspended. Outside, men parked there against the wall keep an eagle eye on Shahid’s black gate, monitoring the comings and goings. They innocently let the breeze lift their shirts to show TT pistols tucked into their pants.
On a charpoy under the shade of a tree inside the house, Shahid’s father, a garment trader, stammers his son’s name. He wanted to speak, register a case. “We have been told by our ‘elders’ not to talk to anyone, not even the police.” However, the police openly accept that it was a case of forced fitra collection.
The Rs40,000 that Shahid was killed for is a far cry from the Rs80 per person decreed as compulsory charity to be paid by Muslims in Ramazan before Eidul Fitr. The money is supposed to go to the deserving and is the equivalent of 2.25 kilogrames of flour. The scholar who fixed the rate this year, Mufti Muneebur Rehman, explained that people can pay more than the fixed amount, but it is un-Islamic for groups to go around demanding Fitra. “Money which is collected by political parties by force of guns or sticks is not acceptable in Allah’s eyes,” he remarked. The government has said no door-to-door collection is allowed. It urged parties to set up camps where people could come themselves.
A history
The Jamaat-e-Islami was the first political party in Karachi to start the concept of Fitra collection with its welfare organisation, Al Khidmat Foundation. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement later formed its Khidmat-e-Khalq Foundation.
For years, they were the only ones. Then arrived the Sunni Tehreek’s Ahle Sunnat Khidmat Foundation Trust, the banned Peoples Amn Committee’s Lyari Resource Centre and the Awami National Party’s Bacha Khan Welfare Trust (in 2010). The pie thus grew smaller and traditional turfs began to overlap.
Hotspots and turf wars
The highest amount of Fitra is collected from the old city areas where activists try to one-up each other. “This year it seems that we won’t be able to complete our target in these localities,” said one political worker.
An activist from a rival group told The Express Tribune that now they need to first cut through two other political parties before they can even think of reaching the people. “People used to give us Fitra because of their political or sectarian preferences,” he said. “But today they give it to the most powerful one in the area, which is the […].”
The amount can go as high as one million rupees. Some parties give out entire Fitra booklets like the perforated double-slip ones used in charged parking and others helpfully write you a receipt.
Traders are already paying extortion money all year round. A prominent trader, heading an association with 300 markets, said that shopkeepers across the city have received one party’s booklets worth Rs2,000 to Rs10,000. “Everyone knows that the city’s largest political party is involved the most in forced Fitra collection. But no one complains.”
When the business started in Ramazan, the traders complained to one religio-political group’s leaders. But that group just changed its tactic and instead of going shop to shop, started sending a ‘request’ to the head of the business association. Even non-Muslim businessmen are being netted. Christian shopkeepers in Essa Nagri and Azam Basti were told to pay Rs500 by activists from one party using another party’s name.
The police have noted that slips for one party have surfaced in what was considered the absolute stronghold of another party. Their theory is that parties are using each other’s names so that they don’t get caught. One political entity uses the less formal system of hand-written notes or verbal requests.
“This is not Fitra. This is bhatta,” declared an angry resident in Kharadar. “We don’t get to donate to the charity of our choice.”
Some markets are finding themselves paying more than one party. A frustrated shopkeeper in Jodia Bazaar has shelled out Rs500,000 to different groups. “We are not even earning as much as we have been asked to pay!”
And pay they do. As the owner of a Maripur truck stand told The Express Tribune: “Everyone paid them because no one wants to be killed for just Rs3,000.”
A top police official requesting anonymity said apart from areas where parties collect charity, there are some disputed areas, in which more than one group operates. A resident of Landhi D-1 told The Express Tribune that in the first week of Ramazan, two activists asked for the total number of family members in the house. “Though we told them that we won’t give them Fitra, they harshly said that the Fitra has to go to them.”
A human rights activist living in an apartment in North Karachi received booklets worth Rs1,400 with 25 slips. “They just hand you the entire booklet, and you can’t say no.”
In Zamzama, a retail outlet staffer said that one party’s men walked in and handed out booklets, but since the shopkeepers had “strong” connections the threats were defused.
The party line
As has been their stance, MQM leader Wasay Jalil pegged the problem on criminals who used the party’s name and said that they were tracking them down. The activists who are collecting Fitra carry an official letter. The party has an annual function where the poor are given money, basic appliances and household goods.
The ANP took the same position with Bashir Jan saying that while he does not know of any case, if anyone uses the party’s name, the police should arrest them and if the ANP catches an activist, they would be expelled and handed to the police. “Fitra is the right of the poor, helpless and orphans in society and the ANP does not like to snatch the rights of orphans.” The party used to collect hides after Eidul Azha for its Bacha Khan Welfare Trust but stopped last year.
For their part, the banned Amn Committee’s Zafar Baloch said that they did not collect Fitra like other political parties. “We don’t have a parchi (slip) system. Friends and relatives collect or donate their share to our charitable organisation, the Lyari Resource Centre. But we haven’t forced anybody for Fitra neither this year nor before.”
The Sunni Tehreek assigns only five men at the provincial constituency level to collect Fitra, Zakat and rations. “Ordinary activists are not allowed,” said central leader Shahid Ghauri. “We have issued special cards to those who have been given the job of collection for the Ahle Sunnat Khidmat Foundation Trust.” The ST distributes Rs5 million in food among 2,500 families each Ramazan.
Good cop, bad cop
The official code of conduct is not followed but no arrests have been made. A senior police official said that they just want to see the holy month pass peacefully. “Things are in control, and targeted killings have gone down,” he said. “We don’t want to ruin the peace of the city by getting involved in this.”
For whatever it is worth, Additional IG Iqbal Mehmood said they were taking action on specific complaints. The problem is, perhaps, though that most people are too scared to complain.
Ghostbusters
To make a complaint:
Sunni Tehreek: 021-32775462; 021-32761789; 021-32775382
Peoples Amn Committee: 021-36065570; 021-35432929;
Awami National Party: 021-35803030;
Jamaat-e-Islami: 0301-8221900;
MQM: 021-36313690;
Home department: 021-99207772;
Police complaint centre: 021-99212652; 021-99212653; 021-99212662;
Published in The Express Tribune, August 10th, 2012.
COMMENTS (31)
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Annual assistance program of KKF held in Jinnah Ground Azizabad in which assistance was provided to thousands of poor and needy persons.Founder and Leader of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) Mr Altaf Hussain has spoke working of the KKF and said that the annual programme was held regularly in the holy month of Ramadan in order to let everyone know that the goods and money collected by the KKF for the poor and needy people were actually being distributed to the deserving people
I would like to invite ET & its reporters to please write an investigative report on Extortionists also belonging to ANP & PAC & would like to see the readers comments condemning both the groups just like they are trying to fill MQM in the blanks!
@Noman:
I am in that part of age where I won't tell lie. I belongs to Abbotabad and I am not even an Urdu Speaking.
In my 51 years of life, I witnessed Jamat-e-Islami initiated collecting donations, Zakat, Fitra, Chanda or Khairat. Even in 70s & 80s they were so aggressive that if one refuse to pay them, he would face the consequences.
Individuals might be using MQM's tag but in reality the party itself is not involved in any sort of forced fitra collection.
I grew up giving donations to Jamati Islami but in mid 80s trand change and new political party came under the name of MQM since than we have been voluntarily donating to MQM. They always do social work and help needy people. I'm sure their are others organizations collecting fitra or other donations but my family is very comfortable walking to MQM donation center because no one comes to our homes maybe it's just the area.
It is really a good and informative move from ET, and we now ball is in our court to recognize the right ones for giving our charity. Unfortunately everyone blaming each other, and time is running short. I wish people who got the power to control the situation can see this article and make a plan to secure innocent citizens from getting out of current worst law n order situation from different areas of Karachi
I have been giving Fitra to the MQM since 1980s and I have never felt threatened or coerced for this. Earlier they used to set-up camps in order to facilitate people but now perhaps it is because of the failing law and order situation in Karachi that they have given up this practice. Once I was offering the Eid prayer in Mubarak Masjid in Sea view and there was a camp of the MQM outside the mosque. I saw with my own eyes that a large number of people came there and gave fitra. There were many camps there besides the MQM camp but they did not attract much people.
I even saw the noted writer Ahmed Kamal Rizvi at the MQM's camp beside many other known persons and celebrities.
This story creates a false impression that the MQM has been resorting to strong arm tactics and coercion. At least I do not support the view taken in this story. The extortion phenomenon in Karachi, that has come to the plague the city for the past four years has some other underlying causes. There are some hidden forces, or perhaps not-so-hidden that want to challenge the MQM and reduce its political support.
The MQM enjoys the mandate of the city and it is the common sense that lawlessness and bloodshed would harm its image. The MQM can ill-afford what is happening in Karachi right now.
To Mr. Kashif about fighting these thugs, I read this article in the afternoon and u can read my comment above regarding mashriq center. just today mqm people came to my shop at zamzama asking for around 4k and when i called the above help line and the answer i got was 4 hazar hi to hain, jaan se ziada thori hain and uno if i report it to police, only Allah knows what consequences may follow.
Will they going to decide to whom we should give fitra??? For them Fitra is just a blood money ppl and to buy ammunition to get our ppl killed... curse them all...
Good job done by ET. Thanks. Strange if they gather Fitra even from minorities.
I might be one of the kind - I live in Gulshan e Iqbal, some people came to collect Fitrah (Rs 1000 per head) claiming to be from MQM. I told them to come after 2 days, and I called Muttahida Qaumi Movements Office, and reported the incident. I was surprised, that our MPA actually visited our area next day, and had a public meeting requesting all the residents not to pay these thugs, and if they want to pay to MQM, pay it at the sector office, or designated areas. No one has turned up since then, until an ANP parchi turned up. I called their offices as well, they were like, hum kia karein?
MQM may or may not be responsible, but one things is for sure. People are misusing the history of MQM against them. It is about our perception as well, we perceive that MQM is involved in bhatta and fitra, and hence anyone who asks for it looks like an MQM activist.
this city is going to the dogs. government please wake up
This is one of the best I have seen on ET. This is true journalism, reporting what is actually happening on the ground. Hats off to those who covered it. I would love to see more informational articles like this on ET.
Dear karachite, you don't have the guts to name yourself. And I cannot put my reporter's life at risk.
Well done to the 3 reporters! It takes tremendous courage to go out and investigate the story.
I don't mind if they haven't named any party; although they have approached different political parties for their views & comments. The fact that they have highlighted the issue and presented the affected people’s point-of-view is good enough. Also liked the 'Ghostbusters' section containing complaint numbers. Thinking of keeping a copy of it.
Excellent work ET!
I live in gulshan hasan center and we were also forced to pay fitra, Rs 1000 per head.et please include my story. We will fight against wrong use and collection of fitra
For once E.T. gave some coverage to real issues in Karachi.
I like to salute the three reporters who did the story. Unfortunately ppl who speak against mqm are killed just like wali babar. But for you three may Allah be with you. Et, it would have been brave of u if u would havd mentioned political parties name though we all know who they are
@Noman: Sorry, you are wrong. It was Jamaat Islami who started this ghundagardi in Karachi first. MQM just forced them out beating them on their own game. Now new players like ANP and Taliban also seem to have jumped on the bhatta bandwagon.
Mqm and sunni tehreeq collected it from our office at mashriq centre, ofcourse with show of guns by Mqm and st just asked for 1k so we gave it to get rid of em, police werent interested to hear about it at all.
Wait for Imran Khan's statement kindly. But obviously He will blame PMLN for using other party names for taking Bhatta in Karachi.
We Karachites are afraid of these political parties .. we live in the land of fear .. is this the Pakistan of Muhammad Ali Jinnah ?
I affirm the detail provided in this write-up as in my area some strange people tried to collect forced fitra but disappeared threatening people when the locals informed two major political parties of the area, Jamat-e-Islami & the MQM. It was the first incident of its kind, the locals in my area are giving their fitra to the two above mentioned parties plus some madarasas since long.
This is the state of affairs in Pakistan. Welcome to the democracy where the political parties scare and terrorise the public. Only in Pakistan.
Finally some one has dared to speak on the issue, good work.
Moto of our political parties " Do bad things, good things will happen to you" in reality for them is to do worst things to have best things happening for them
if it isnt MQM, ANP, AMN Comitte then it could be RAW involved in colecting FITRA here
The media should be ASHAMED if they dont have the guts to name the political parties. ET this isnt fair to your readers. have the guts and name em all.....someone come forward and speak up, name em, expose em....
Its better to die then to live the life of a dog. seriously next time when a robber or criminals comes i will defend my self with my kungfu techniques,if it works, cool otherwise, my fate..
Nice work ET.. BTW the Political Party who started collecting Forced Charity/Bhatta is MQM. Here is just said the name.. And now other political Parties have also shared the pie.