Govt, protesters hardly blink an eye as city shuts down, yet again

Friday’s strike call was given against continued targeted killing of religious scholars.

KARACHI:

Apart from being judged the cheapest city to live in the world, Karachi might soon be dubbed the least productive of them all as well, if the current spate of shutter down strikes and public holidays continues for the year.

For around the 10th time since the start of 2013, routine activities in the city crawled to a standstill, as a strike, this time given by various religious and political parties, against the targeted killing of a cleric earlier in the week, appeared to have been successful.

Tension prevailed in several parts of the city, including Banaras, Pirabad, Frontier Colony, Jamshed Quarters, Guru Mandir, Lasbella, MA Jinnah Road, Numaish Chowrangi, Habib Bank Chowrangi, Mauripur, Shershah, Abul Hassan Isphani Road, Sohrab Goth, Steel Town, Baldia, Landhi, North Karachi, Gulshan-e-Iqbal and Korangi, among other areas. Multiple protests and rallies were organised, and protesters blocked several roads by placing barricades and setting tyres on fire. Super Highway and National Highway were also blocked. Two vehicles were also set on fire in Kharadar.

The strike call was given by the Wafaqul Madaris-an umbrella group of all religious seminaries in the country - and the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ). They announced the measure to protest against the targeted killing of Mufti Abdul Majeed Deenpuri, vice-president of the Jamia Binoria Uloomia. Deenpuri was gunned down, along with fellow cleric Mufti Muhammad Saleh, and a seminary student, Hassan Ali Shah, after unidentified men ambushed their car near Sharae Faisal on January 31.

The parties had demanded that the government and law enforcement agencies bring about a stop to targeted attacks on religious scholars and members of religious parties, and punish the culprits who were involved in sectarian killings.

The Jamaat-e-Islami, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and the Shia Ulema Council had all announced their support for the strike. However, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement had decided to not support the strike, while the Awami National Party had said that it would stay “neutral”.



A minor scuffle broke out between police officials and protesters near 100-Bed Hospital in Steel Town. Police inspector Zakir was wounded, and a police mobile damaged when protesters threw stones at him. DIG Javed Odho said that protesters had, by and large, remained peaceful, while law enforcers speedily responded to reports of firing from some areas.

Calls for security of religious leaders

Maulana Aurangzeb Farooqi, chief of the ASWJ, said that the government had failed to protect the lives and properties of its citizens. He warned authorities that the people would not rest “until they had secured their rights”.

Talking to The Express Tribune, JUI-Fazl leader Qari Usman said that they had warned the government of further protests if their demands were not met. “We would review the situation after the strike, in terms of its effect on the government and law enforcement personnel. If there appears to be no change, then we would intensify our protests and demand the immediate dissolution of the Sindh government.”

Maulana Nazir Abbas Taqvi, a leader of the Shia Ulema Council, said that the Shia community had suffered the most in the recent wave of terrorist attacks. “The situation has now spiraled out of the control of the government and the agencies. People are being targeted on the basis of their sect, ethnicity and political affiliation.”

Strikes and shutter downs since 2013

01 Jan

Pillion-riding banned for three days for New Year’s Eve and Chehlum of Imam Hussain (RA)

02 Jan

Cellphone services suspended for Chehlum, schools also closed

14 Jan

City-wide shutdown on call by the MQM, pillion riding banned, schools closed

16 Jan

SC order in rental power case triggers protests across Sindh

17 Jan

Partial shut down across Sindh as demonstrations continue

18 Jan

Shutdown after killing of MQM’s MPA Manzar Imam

19 Jan

Karachi and parts of Sindh remain closed following MQM MPA’s killing

24 Jan

Public holiday across Sindh for Eid Miladun Nabi

25 Jan

Cellphone services banned on occasion of Eid Miladun Nabi

02 Feb

Partial shutdown in the city to protest target killing of Jamia Binoria’s Mufti Abdul Majeed Deenpuri and others

05 Feb

Public holiday for Kashmir Day

08 Feb

City shuts down on religious parties’ call to protest sectarian killings

Published in The Express Tribune, February 9^th, 2013.