Aftermath of arrest: To go or not to go to school

Several students reached their institutions only to find their exams were postponed.

KARACHI:

Worried parents witnessed a confused Wednesday morning as news flashed of the arrest of a former MPA along with reports of burning cars and protests.

The former MPA of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) was arrested by the police on Wednesday at around 2:30am. Soon after sunrise, sporadic incidents of arson began surfacing - right around the time children woke up for school and those who pulled all-nighters finished their final revision.

“We were confused about what to do at the time as our children’s examinations were scheduled in the morning,” said a nervous parent. “Before we could go to the school to pick the children up, the van driver dropped them back within an hour.” The worried parents frantically called the schools to inquire whether or not they made it to the institution, only to hear confusing responses from the other end of the line. In the end, most schools in sensitive neighbourhoods decided to send the children back.



“The classes were about to begin when we heard reports that ‘namaloom afrad’ have emerged on the streets across the city and life was brought to a standstill for some ‘unknown’ reasons,” said the principal of a school in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, who refused to share his name. “We feel perplexed in such situations as worried parents keep calling the administration.” He felt that political parties should consider that students and especially young girls face serious issues returning back home on such days.

Later on, the All Private School Management Association (APSMA) and Private Schools Management Association announced that all private schools will remain closed. “This was really a tense situation for us as most of the students had already reached the schools,” admitted APSMA chairperson Syed Khalid Shah.

Academic activities at the University of Karachi, Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology and Sindh Madrasatul Islam University also remained suspended and all exams scheduled for the day were postponed. The next date of examinations would be announced later.

The worst-affected neighbourhoods were Federal B Area, Liaquatabad, Saddar, Nazimabad, North Nazimabad, Korangi, Rizvia Society, Buffer Zone, North Karachi and New Karachi. Some men hurled stones at cars passing by while others also set on fire at least six vehicles in Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Nagan Chowrangi, Korangi and New Karachi.

Some parts of Hyderabad, Tando Allahyar and Mirpurkhas were forced to shut down in the aftermath of the arrests. The inter-Sindh transport service from the bus stands in these three districts were also suspended.

Govt will register cases

Meanwhile, Sindh Assembly speaker Agha Siraj Durrani advised MQM leaders to approach the judiciary instead of making strike calls every time there is action against their activists. “The government would register cases against those who created chaos in Karachi today,” he said, while speaking to reporters after holding a meeting with the Russain consul-general Oleg N. Adeev.

“Many of our leaders, including Asif Ali Zardari, were arrested in the past,” he pointed out, adding that they even spent years in jails. “But we did not protest or gave any strike calls to force people to shut their business.” Durrani admitted the government has given the police and Rangers free hand to take action against criminals across the province and all parties agreed.  “We will not make hue and cry even if any of our worker is arrested,” he said.

On the MQM’s demand to create new provinces, he said, “We do not know what the MQM’s motives are but one thing is clear that the PPP will not let anyone divide Sindh.”

Meanwhile, Sindh information minister Sharjeel Memon said the Sindh government does not believe in political victimisation and other parties should also discourage this practice of patronising criminals in their ranks.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 12^th, 2013.