Majority of cases filed against unknown persons. PHOTO: EXPRESS/ FILE
Law-enforcement agencies have failed in maintaining law and order in Karachi. As many as 377 people have been murdered in the metropolis over the last 42 days – an average of nine killings a day – but no culprits have been brought to the book so far.
The highest death toll was registered on June 9 when terrorists killed 20 people. In most other incidents, between two to three people lost their lives. In some cases, even police officials were among the victims.
Most of the cases in these incidents have been registered against unknown perpetrators. Cases where the accused was named in the FIR remained far and few.
While police and Rangers have arrested dozens of people following the incidents, not a single culprit was caught red-handed. In one particular case, a suspect – who himself had been injured in the incident – was arrested from the Jinnah hospital. Most of those taken into custody were released after initial interrogation.
Karachi’s Lyari locality remained the most volatile, with repeated firing incidents and blasts, for four days. Despite this, police were unable to arrest a single person from the area. Though authorities claimed some suspects had been arrested, the actual situation was much different.
Fourteen people were killed in violent incidents on May 11 – the day of the general elections – but even this failed to faze the city administration.
After that, 13 were killed on May 12, three on May 13, eight on May 14, five on May 15, one on May 16, 10 on May 17, eight again on May 18, 17 on May 19, nine on May 20, eight on May 21, six on May 22, five on May 23, 10 on May 24, six on May 25, seven on May 26, four on May 27, 14 on May 28, 11 on May 29, six on May 30 and 16 on May 31.
Meanwhile, four people were killed on June 1, 11 were killed on June 2, seven were killed on June 3, nine on June 4, nine again on June 5, two on June 6, three on June 7, six on June 8, 20 on June 9, 15 on June 10, seven on June 11, nine on June 12, 13 on June 13, five on June 14, 17 on June 15, six on June 16, five on June 17, eight on June 18, nine on June 19, 13 on June 20 and 18 on June 21.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 23rd, 2013.
COMMENTS (19)
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@Aysha M Oh really.....
Do you class your 'care' as supporting MQM and defending its as a responsibilty.
Aysha Ji : A lot of poor people with no political affiliation loose their lives everyday in Karachi. We don't see vigils for those.
I can only hope and pray that people of Karachi wake up and recognise how they are being exploited every other day in the name of strikes, demonstrations and politics of coercion.
@Such Bolta Hoon: Because some of us actually care, and make an effort and feel the responsibility to go beyond frivolous commenting
@Syed A. Mateen: Chickens have come home to roost. They will continue to come home in future till you stop to hatch them.
@Grammarian: "hello there Indian troll." +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Sir, I am hurt...you did not include me in the term Indian Troll. Pls tell me what more should I do to catch your attention?
@Water Bottle: hello there Indian troll.
@Aysha M, Original or Non original or Artficial version
Are you really too naive or paid to make such comments. It is the government that is being challenged here. Karachi really needs a clean up for longstanding peace.
Why are you so worried, residing million miles away from your Janam Bhomee.
@Such Bolta Hoon: How can this mindset be rationalized?
@Syed A. Mateen: "Why terrorist became more powerful from law enforcement agencies? Who is responsible for terrorism in Pakistan? Will terrorism stop in future or will it grow with the passage of time? What is the future of Pakistan in the present scenario?" ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Sir, since u are astute enough to pose these questions I am sure you also have some very good answers. Pls share those with us. Shukriya.
Opeartion Clean up in Karachi without any notice
Killings and lawlessness in not what Karachites want Karachi to be about, please show that to the world by participating in the vigil tonight and make tonight the biggest display of public morality.
The mindless, ruthless, barbaric killings have to stop, only the power of people can stop it.
Ignore the organizers of the event, just see what they are saying, and I am sure most Karachites will be able to make it to the event and show support
"THEY" can stop it in a day; if they want to!
Why this news in Express Urdu failed to find place in it's English version? This news enough to expose the hidden hands behind Karachi violence
express.com.pk/epaper/PoPupwindow.aspx?newsID=1101879569&Issue=NP_KHI&Date=20130622
www.express.pk/story/141753
Karachi bleeds . . . no end to it in sight.
@Hatf XX:
Very good. Pakistan should first realize that it is a normal country with normal people. It is not pure and purity should never be the standard set for any entity.
@Syed A. Mateen:
"Who can answer my questions:
Why terrorist became more powerful from law enforcement agencies?
Who is responsible for terrorism in Pakistan?
Will terrorism stop in future or will it grow with the passage of time?
What is the future of Pakistan in the present scenario?"
I will answer all your questions :
1) Terrorists are not more powerful than law enforcement agencies.
2) Law enforcement agencies.
3) Very very honestly, if you give up the illegitimate cause of Kashmir, terrorism will vanish in a decade or so. If you keep espousing this illegal cause, terrorism will never end.
4) See the answer no 3.
@Syed A. Mateen: 1-Because terrorists have penetrated the LEAs. How much Sindh Police has been politicized, is beyond imagination. Policemen can't act against them because they know that while they can protect citizens of karachi by arresting these terrorists, LEAs can't assure them the safety of their lives and family when the comrades of arrested terrorist attack them and their family. 2-We all know this don't we? 3-Unless our political parties doesn't dump their armed wings and domestic LEAs are not restructured for competency and de-politicization, we can only hope (false it may be) that things would go better. 4-Pakistan will continue to linger on as it has been for past decades.
It is a failure at so many levels: 1. Someone has to be crazy enough to believe killing innocent people is justified or somehow furthers his 'cause'. 2. Then this crazed someone has to have access to the means of carnage - guns, explosives, whatever and has to join a tanzeem that trains him to use them. 3. Even then for the attack to succeed he has to have access to the victims past any security precautions (OK this is easy actually) 4. Most shockingly after countless such deeds are done no one is held responsible, no one is prosecuted, no one is pronounced guilty - all the victims' families hear is "CIA did it", "RAW did it", "nation is surrounded by enemies", "your father / brother / husband is a martyr killed by enemies of Islam". 5. All this brainwashing further radicalizes the victim's relatives, some of whom take it upon themselves to avenge their loss from these imagined enemies and actually join some or the other tanzeem becoming perpetrators of future terrorist attacks - the cycle thus self-perpetuates!
I mean, c'mon people - is the irony completely lost on us.
Who can answer my questions:
Why terrorist became more powerful from law enforcement agencies?
Who is responsible for terrorism in Pakistan?
Will terrorism stop in future or will it grow with the passage of time?
What is the future of Pakistan in the present scenario?