Shershah market closed after death of a worker, unkept promises

Traders claim they are still receiving threats, ask MQM for protection.

KARACHI: The Shershah Kabari Market Association decided to close the market for business on Monday after 35-year-old Muhammad Syed, a worker who was injured in firing in the Shershah incident on October 19, passed away during treatment at a private hospital on Sunday. With this death, the death toll following the incident reached 14.

Syed was a resident of Jehangirabad and worked at a spare parts shop in the market, association official Muhammad Zahid told Express, adding that Syed’s nephews, Asif and Aqif, had also been killed in the Shershah tragedy.

Syed’s namaz-e-janaza was offered at the Hanfia Masjid in Teen Hatti, Jehangirabad, where, apart from the family and friends of the deceased, a large number of workers and members of the market association were also present.

Mourners later conducted a sit-in outside the Liquatabad post office and blocked the road from Teen Hatti to Sohrab Goth in protest, after which a large number of Rangers and police personnel were deployed in the area.

Mourners then carried Syed’s body to the Karachi Press Club, where officials of the market association said that while the federal interior ministry had earlier announced compensation for the traders and workers killed or injured in the incident, nothing had been done for them or their families despite the passage of one month. Protesters added that the government had also made promises to arrest the people involved in the Shershah tragedy, which have yet to be fulfilled.

The perpetrators of the incident can be seen roaming the streets, which is evidence of the failure of the administration, protesters said, demanding that the president of Pakistan and other leaders take steps to provide compensation to the Shershah victims and arrest the suspects named in the case.

“Despite promises made by Rehman Malik to provide security to the traders, they are still receiving grave threats,” MPA Abdul Haseeb of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) said on Monday, while assuring traders that the MQM will support them.

“Traders have appealed to MQM chief Altaf Hussain for protection and MQM is with the traders,” the MPA said, adding that while Malik had ordered 18 check posts to be set up in the area, the number had decreased over the past few days. Moreover, while 250 law enforcers had originally been deployed in the market, only 50 can currently be seen working as usual in the area.

MQM is working to provide security and compensation to the traders, said Haseeb, who added that the CCPO has promised to increase the number of police infantry in the area.

After assurances by the MPA, protesters ended their demonstration and carried Syed’s body to the Jehangirabad graveyard where he was laid to rest.

It must be mentioned that Lyari gang leader Baba Ladla and his accomplices were accused of their involvement in the Shehshah tragedy, after which a case was registered against them on October 21. A suspect, identified as Lal Muhammad Magsi, had later been arrested while the others remain wanted by the police.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 23^rd, 2010.