Pakistan

Profile: Waqas Ali Shah left home for Nine Zero, never to return

Syed Waqas Ali Shah was a member of MQM Central Information Committee and a Bcom student at Federal Urdu University

Rabia Ali March 11, 2015

MQM worker Syed Waqas Ali Shah. PHOTO: MQM

KARACHI: A Muttahida Qaumi Movement worker was shot dead during aerial firing following a raid conducted by the Rangers’ at the party’s headquarters in Karachi Wednesday morning.

Syed Waqas Ali Shah, who was a member of the MQM Central Information Committee, was photographed moments before his death, protesting outside Nine Zero.

Shah was set to get engaged on Saturday, followed by a wedding after six months.

“He died protecting our women. I was with him,” said Shah’s closest friend, Ahsan Khan, who is also a member of the party.

“Don’t misbehave with the women,” were said to be the 25-year-old Shah's last words to Rangers personnel, who according to eye-witnesses accounts were shoving and pushing women protesting outside the MQM headquarters.

Both Shah and Khan were quite popular for hosting programmes, rallies, protests and gatherings for the party. They were also known for delivering fierce and emotional speeches.

Read: Explainer: Why the MQM raid was conducted today and what it means for Karachi's security

Syed Waqas Ali Shah seen moments before his death. PHOTO: MQM

Khan said Shah's death seemed like a bad dream.

“He woke me up in the morning, and we rode together to Nine Zero on the same bike," he said. "I will go home alone now.”

Read: LIVE: One dead, several injured as Rangers raid MQM headquarters

Back in 2009, Shah and Khan organised their first event together – the APMSO’s foundation day at Lal Qila ground. Both men had been preparing for more than a week -- making notes and thinking of which couplets to read. One of Shah’s favorite poets, according to his friend, was Habib Jalib.

“The party stresses a lot on Urdu literature and poetry, so we had to work on that,” said Khan, adding that though they were quite nervous, the event was a success.

Shah hosted his last programme on February 28 on the foundation day of the party’s labour division.

Shah’s funeral will take place on Thursday after Zuhr prayers at Jinnah ground. He leaves behind seven siblings and parents.

Read: Investigations: MQM lawyer's killers will be arrested soon: police

COMMENTS (28)

cheeta | 9 years ago | Reply NO this is not ‪#‎Kashmir‬ believe it or not this is ‪#‎Karachi‬ And Rangers are higly biased & treat Muhajirs like Terrorists! “People of Karachi have always showed their trust in MQM in every elections, the party has contested over the past three decades,”

John Mott | 9 years ago | Reply @khi lover: Touchè! Thank you.

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khi lover | 9 years ago | Reply @John Mott - Well said !

khi lover | 9 years ago | Reply @Naeem Ahmed - Triumph is that MQM always insists to get Minister Ports and Shipping portfolio to get NATO goods smuggled to 90 ? Triumph is all the MQM heavy areas in khi have gone down on living standards in past 30 years ? Triumph is hiding criminals at your party's HQ ? Triumph is installing goons in government offices ? Triumph is asking for Zakat on gunpoint ? Triumph is killing your own people ? Triumph is spew venom in young minds and not let them focus on studies (Goto Azizabad and see how many educational institutes have opened there and where the youth spends time) ? Saulat Mirza (previously nice guy from a decent middle class family spoiled)? Faheem Commando , Langra , K2 , Mota , Mullah and what not ?

Naeem Ahmed | 9 years ago | Reply I am 43. This is deja vu. Exactly same thing happened in 1991. Its re-run of a movie which we saw in 91. Same guns, blind folded , frog crawling people, same kangaroo courts, and upturned offices. I am waiting for maps for a ' secret new state' torture cells and confession statements by activists on TV. Karachiiates belongs to MQM only and this circus has once again made me feel the same like last time. MQM will triumph just like the last time and Punjabi forces will eat their foot yet again.

John Mott | 9 years ago | Reply @Hasan Askari: You say "Now the new plan is to install Imran Khan…however problem is that person is what we call a “manhoos” ..whatever he does fails. He is not sincere to people of Pakistan let alone Karachi" Let's count the ways that Imran Khan has "failed": Failed at winning cricket's biggest trophy, the first for Pakistan? Failed at setting up Pakistan's first dedicated cancer treatment facility? Failed at setting up a world-class University in the backwaters of Pakistan? Failed at setting up a potent political party to counter the status quo in Pakistan? Had heard that excess anger eats away the brain. Today I have seen it. Thank you.

Je Suis Karachi | 9 years ago | Reply @Hasan Askari: Interesting piece of fantasy. Anyone with half a mind can tell you that Imran Khan will never make it to power in Pakistan, sadly. As for your deceased comrade - live by the gun, die by the gun. Let peace prevail in Karachi!

True Karachiwala | 9 years ago | Reply May ALLAH shower blessings on Waqas and give solace to his family and friends. Aamin

Abid | 9 years ago | Reply Hi, have seen the video where Waqas was so called "protecting the women" he got shot by his own party people... Just Google the video!

khurram kaleem | 9 years ago | Reply the criminals killers of wali khan baber were hiding at nine zero.No one should support criminals within a Party . Ethnicity should not become a political slogans .karachi is heart of pakistan and belongs to all ethnic background society

Ebaad | 9 years ago | Reply Poor guy goes down in the long list of party workers killed by his own party members. Wish to see our city get disinfected from the dirty politics of this party sooner rather than later.

Pity | 9 years ago | Reply RIP Waqas, but we should also remember Wali Khan Babau and numerous others who also went out of their homes never to return because of Karachi's Namaloom Afraad.

Karachi Peace | 9 years ago | Reply MQM took another life.

Anon | 9 years ago | Reply R.I.P. Waqas. It makes me so sad to read the comments - we are no more human. Go vent your frustrations about any political party on another page. A young life has been lost - instead of turning everything into an argument and a fight there are two things we can do here ... 1. Either just keep quiet (quite ideal for some people who have made it a point to criticise every news story) 2. Pray that Waqas gets a good resting place and that his soul always rests in peace. Come on people what has happened to us? We have seized being compassionate human beings. Yes it is good to voice your opinion but please there is a time and a place for everything. We have become people who will criticise everything but if asked for help will keep quiet. Very sad situation !!!

fact is fact | 9 years ago | Reply RIP. Having said that we need to think deep on what factors led to his death. 1) Why would a student indulge in political services like APMSO? they should be banned at first place. 2) Because students get indulge in APMSO, MQM hand pick them to work for them after studies. For a student at that time, this is just easy money. No one can deny including this poor guy what MQM does on everyday basis. Should we, the students, need to think again if we want to be in these kind of organisations. IN US, UK etc, students have organisations but they are not linked to any political wings. 3) Should we call on parents to clamp their sons down on attending these organisations? If parents had stopped them right at the start, this might not have happened. 4) Political parties with student wings should be banned. Think wisely folks. Emotions are there but we need to take stand against MQM. Regards

Abdullah | 9 years ago | Reply https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=631894463609367

mohammed ali zain | 9 years ago | Reply punjabi thugs martyred him....mqm can never be eliminated through such practices.....just like baloch people who are being killed extra judically on daily basis but continue to raise their voices despite punjabi army brutality

Jamal Shah | 9 years ago | Reply Im from Karachi, speak Urdu and I hate Altaf Hussain. MQ must eliminated from Pakistan.

Urban Legend | 9 years ago | Reply RIP! Sad that the hatred of people who come from other provinces (even if they live in Karachi) has made them blind. In presence of the Punjabi rangers, a young man is killed and they have no clue about it. Injustice gives rise to Injustice. No wonder Pakistan is in such a mess now.

Karachi lover | 9 years ago | Reply @Khi-Lover: I am born and bred in Karachi and I hate the discrimination against Urdu speaking people. I support MQM because it's the only party who is from Karachi and owns Karachi.

Khi-Lover | 9 years ago | Reply @ Hasan Askari - Twisting facts doesnt change reality. I was born in Khi , speak Urdu and want MQM eliminated from Khi. What does Imran Khan has to do with the Ranger's raid ? Also its unfair to say that bulk of revenue in Khi is generated by a certain language speaking group. Let Karachi be a place for every Pakistani. Taliban are surely not welcome here. Regards RIP young man.

salman | 9 years ago | Reply MQM has killed thousands on innocent young men of Karachi like him. He is just another addition of this madness.

observer | 9 years ago | Reply GOD is the sole judge...

ali khan | 9 years ago | Reply seems like he was shot by his own party. bad way to go. but i wouldn't put it past the mqm to do something like that. given the high level murders they have already committed against their own party workers.. truly a sad event but i would not point my finger at the rangers rather at the people that kill every day!!

AF | 9 years ago | Reply Too Pitty - Pray to Allah for his soul to rest in peace. What ever has happened has been covered by the media. The incident is quite similar to the past incident of Sarfaraz Shah EXCEPT that (Shaheed) Waqas Ahmed Shah never resisted to snatch any weapon and instead was trying to save the women protesters. Allah is the best judge as no Justice is expected by the current by the judiciary of the current regime.

Ali | 9 years ago | Reply @Hasan Askari Nice story bro

Syed Abbas Ali Shah | 9 years ago | Reply RIP

Hasan Askari | 9 years ago | Reply Karachi was once the lead city in Pakistan and Asia. However there was one problem ...the majority there was Urdu speakers. With time establishment in Pakistan and money from middle east sent refugees, violent groups there to counter power of Urdu speakers. They went after MQM the party there many times and made such claims of Indian agent, US agent so many times.. Gradually Dubai flourished, in Pakistan other cities became flourished and all extremists, madrassahs, shia sunni killings happened. This is another step in the same plan. They generate lots of revenue from the city but they don't give it back. Musharraf (who was from the city) had some shame and decency and I guess did not have the hate or agenda did form local government. Now the new plan is to install Imran Khan...however problem is that person is what we call a "manhoos" ..whatever he does fails. He is not sincere to people of Pakistan let alone Karachi God bless this person. Another young men died... Seems like a scene from Iraq.. This is why this nation is a failure...discrimination, saazish comes back to haunt you in the end. Your monsters killed 150 innocent children.

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