Perilous position
What will happen in the coming two weeks as we approach balloting is not known. But the signs are not good.
Condemnations have poured in from the caretakers and party leaders. But on the ground, reality remains unchanged. PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE
Things cannot be allowed to continue as they are. What point is there in conjecturing about the outcome of the May 11 election, or analysing the situation in individual constituencies, when it is becoming clear that this is no ordinary poll. The usual factors simply do not apply. Instead, death, fear and violence have become the biggest factors of all, with the Taliban carrying out their hideous threat of mowing down members of parties they have identified as enemies: the ANP, the MQM and the PPP. It is clear the campaign for these parties cannot continue as normal.
On April 25, just two days after an explosive device went off at an MQM camp office in Karachi, killing four persons, another blast took place outside its office in North Nazimabad. Five party activists gathered at the premises were killed; many others injured. The Taliban spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan immediately claimed responsibility. A day of mourning has been declared by the party for April 26 in Karachi; its leaders have pointed out the election campaign is really only taking place in Punjab with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Quetta and Karachi all hit by violence and they have also asked how a campaign can proceed amidst blasts. The reality is it has already been badly hit. The ANP has called off large meetings, the MQM has after the latest attack cancelled a rally in Hyderabad and while the PPP may have been spared death, its electoral campaign has suffered due to security factors, especially due to concerns surrounding the safety of Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari. Violence, we do not know coming from what source, has also claimed the lives of at least two PML-N men, including a wheelchair-bound activist as he sat outside his home in Karachi.
Condemnations have poured in from the caretakers and party leaders. But on the ground, reality remains unchanged. What will happen in the coming two weeks as we approach balloting is not known. But the signs are not good; this is not what anyone wanted, yet we can only watch helplessly as the violence continues.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 27th, 2013.
On April 25, just two days after an explosive device went off at an MQM camp office in Karachi, killing four persons, another blast took place outside its office in North Nazimabad. Five party activists gathered at the premises were killed; many others injured. The Taliban spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan immediately claimed responsibility. A day of mourning has been declared by the party for April 26 in Karachi; its leaders have pointed out the election campaign is really only taking place in Punjab with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Quetta and Karachi all hit by violence and they have also asked how a campaign can proceed amidst blasts. The reality is it has already been badly hit. The ANP has called off large meetings, the MQM has after the latest attack cancelled a rally in Hyderabad and while the PPP may have been spared death, its electoral campaign has suffered due to security factors, especially due to concerns surrounding the safety of Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari. Violence, we do not know coming from what source, has also claimed the lives of at least two PML-N men, including a wheelchair-bound activist as he sat outside his home in Karachi.
Condemnations have poured in from the caretakers and party leaders. But on the ground, reality remains unchanged. What will happen in the coming two weeks as we approach balloting is not known. But the signs are not good; this is not what anyone wanted, yet we can only watch helplessly as the violence continues.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 27th, 2013.