Haider (left) and Jamal (right) were attacked on January 4 at a short distance from their house in Agra Taj Colony. PHOTO COURTESY FAMILY
As Haider Qadri, one of the twins injured in an armed attack near his house in Lyari, slowly inches back to recovery, the momentum of the investigation into the incident has begun to pick up, and so has the wrath it has generated.
Haider, 23, and his twin brother, Jamal, were shot at by men on motorcycles as they stopped at a tyre puncture shop near their home on January 2. While Haider was fortunate enough to survive the incident, Jamal wasn’t as lucky.
For the first time since the attack, their father Dr Abdul Ghafoor Qadri, elder brother Fazil Hussain, relatives, friends and neighbours participated in a protest organised outside the press club on Saturday. Carrying banners bearing pictures of Haider and Jamal, the protesters shouted slogans against attacks on students. All the banners had the same slogan: “Do humans live only in Defence and Clifton?”
The protesters demanded the Chief Justice of Pakistan take suo moto notice of target killings, adding that the case of Qadri brothers should be taken up the same way Shahzeb Khan one was.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Raza Haroon, who was one of the participants, pointed to the way that institutions are selectively responding to murder cases, based on the victims’ social status. “Humans live in all parts of Karachi. It is clear that the poor are being denied justice.”
The MQM leader also compared the twins’ case to that of Shahzeb Khan. “[Law enforcers] take action and can even arrest killers within hours when the apex court takes notice,” he said.
Advocate Qadar Brohi and Mujahid Hussain, who were among the participants, felt the same way. “The discrimination is obvious. Only influential persons get justice in our country. Are politicians, officials and judges working only for rich people? Justice means equality.”
The Awami Jamhoori Party also held demonstrations on Saturday in different cities across the province, including Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Qamber-Shahdadkot, Dadu, Larkana and Khairpur.
Investigation
Dr Qadri told The Express Tribune that, “The police are finally cooperating [with me] and investigating the brutal attack on Jamal and Haider.” They have met his sons’ friends and neighbours, assuring him that the attackers would be traced soon. He said that on Thursday, he met high-ranking police officials and shared information about the twins’ activities and friends. “They recorded my statement in detail and asked if either of my sons had ruffled any feathers.” He added that Haider was in a stable condition and would soon be able to speak. “He is being given liquid orally instead of intravenously, even though one side of his tongue is still wounded.” Nobody knows as yet why the twins were attacked. The officer investigating the case, Islam Gul, said that law enforcers were meeting the residents, trying to get to the bottom of the mystery. “We’re looking into all angles and are refraining from guesswork.”
Published in The Express Tribune, January 13th, 2013.
COMMENTS (10)
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Let's just say the son of a DSP being shot is kept on a higher priority for reasons that are too obvious for people who WHINE on this site to understand.
dispite democrracy, i perfur that dictetorship and army role which give peoples to right of good and minimum stander of living, we never want that democrrcy where peoples protest for justic......!!!?
The country is spiralling into disintegration at all levels. We want Democracy...but competent democracy......
Army should take over the entire country and rule for the next 25 years with IRON HANDS.
"Only*influential* persons get justice in our country" But it wil be wise to remember that not all residents of Defence or Clifton are rich or influential, and all rich and influential people do not live in Defence or Clifton.
It is true and fact - only powerful - political or financial people get what they want. Poor can not dream of justice. Plus getting justice is very expensive commodity!! Thus, only rich can have it
We should be ashamed of ourselves.... CJ have also disappointed
Justice is sold in Pakistan.
If any one wants to buy justice, he or she should pay the price to the "justice" to get the justice.
Have these people just woken up to this reality? And why do they keep electing the same corrupt people then. Hold the corrupt accountable.
What a shame!! I remember ET putting up Shahzeb's story on the front which attracted so many readers creating a domino effect which finally lead to CJ taking notice. Why did ET not put this incident on the front? Please reply!!