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Pakistans Beirut: Karachi
By Ali K Chishti
The situation in Karachi is so intense that in 2010 more than 1,400 people had become victims of targeted killings as opposed to 1,100 killed all over the country in terrorism in 2010. The recent situation, where more than 26 people, including a journalist, Wali Babar, had been shot dead during the last three days is a result and a direct backlash of an operation by the paramilitary forces at Pehalwan Goth area of Karachi, where the rangers had claimed to have caught a major drug and weapon peddler.
The recent cycle of violence triggered after the killing of a journalist, Wali Babar, in front of a police station at Liaqatabad area at a point blank range followed by targeting of Sindh ANP General Secretary Bashir Jan. Jan survived the assassination attempt, but two of his guards were killed followed by numerous tit-for-tit attacks in various localities of Karachi. The response to the killing came within hours when at Orangi Town, an area which has been virtually turned into a war-zone since 1980, and where ethnic gangs operate with impunity similar to the death squads once witnessed in Beruit, sprayed bullets on a public bus which killed six commuters. The next target was a former deputy nazim of SITE belonging to the MQM, Badshah Khan, 45, along with workers of the PPP and MQM-H. The police say that their hands were tied because of the political expediency of top government officials. While talking to Daily Times, the heavily fortified police chief, which covers Orangi Town, voiced his disappointment and how hes constantly been blackmailed by political parties. Its virtually impossible for us to secure Orangi Town. The situation can only be handled by the army. We all know the criminals but they have political cover, he said.
Security officials say the nexus between politics and crime is an old one in Karachi. Extortionists, kidnappers, drug-peddlers, gunrunners and even petty criminals have managed to find their niche in one political party or the other. All of them are heavily armed and most of them have the connections needed to escape arrest and prosecution. You cannot file an FIR against a political person in Karachi, confirmed a senior police officer who wanted to remain anonymous.
While Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has had a reputation of carrying all the guns, other political and religious parties which have heavily armed bands of militants include the Pakhtun nationalist Awami National Party, the Mohajir Qaumi Movement (Haqiqi), Jamaat-e-Islami, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, Sunni Tehreek and Baloch and Sindhi nationalist groups. All are a source of major headaches for the police. The influx of both licenced and illegally acquired weapons make the task of the law enforcement agencies even more difficult in what they describe as one of the most heavily armed cities of Pakistan.
While the Interior Ministry takes cosmetic measures, a security expert confirmed to Daily Times that the Rangers notification to snap-check and catch criminals has expired a month ago what is the Interior Ministry doing? On the other hand, major hit-groups or shooters working for various political parties, Daily Times could confirm had been sent elsewhere. Official of an intelligence agency told Daily Times that a political party had sent at least two of its top hit-man to Dubai while the other groups had been told to keep a low profile or move to other provinces.
Rehman Malik, the countrys powerful interior minister, who comes from Islamabad after every such cycle of violence, told Daily Times that theres a third force which is intensifying the situation in Karachi, but failed to elaborate further or name the third element. In a high-level meeting presided by the countrys interior minister, which the controversial Sindh Home Minister Zulfiqar Mirza did not attend, important security matters were discussed in detail and a new security plan for Karachi was devised.
While it was decided that a partial curfew would be imposed in some areas and targeted operation will be carried out in areas like Orangi Town, Abul Isphani Road and Gulsitan-e-Jouhar - all MQM strongholds - its not clear if any action would start in ANP dominated Al-Asif Square. On a political front, Zulfiqar Mirza would convince ANP Sindh chief Syed Shahi while the Federal Interior Minister, Rehman Malik, would convince the MQM to sort things out. Taking to Daily Times from Dubai, Syed Shahi said, Rehman Malik seems to be playing the MQMs game and it would be just to call him MQMs interior minister not the PPPs. MQM, the largest political party, which wins 17 out of 19 NA seats in Karachi, the other day tabled a de-weaponisation bill, which it claimed would help reduce terrorism. While the business community is facing another crisis where various gangs had been hounding traders for extortion. A foreign diplomat commented, If the recent wave of violence continues, we might have to pack out consulates from Karachi too due to security concerns.
By Ali K Chishti
The situation in Karachi is so intense that in 2010 more than 1,400 people had become victims of targeted killings as opposed to 1,100 killed all over the country in terrorism in 2010. The recent situation, where more than 26 people, including a journalist, Wali Babar, had been shot dead during the last three days is a result and a direct backlash of an operation by the paramilitary forces at Pehalwan Goth area of Karachi, where the rangers had claimed to have caught a major drug and weapon peddler.
The recent cycle of violence triggered after the killing of a journalist, Wali Babar, in front of a police station at Liaqatabad area at a point blank range followed by targeting of Sindh ANP General Secretary Bashir Jan. Jan survived the assassination attempt, but two of his guards were killed followed by numerous tit-for-tit attacks in various localities of Karachi. The response to the killing came within hours when at Orangi Town, an area which has been virtually turned into a war-zone since 1980, and where ethnic gangs operate with impunity similar to the death squads once witnessed in Beruit, sprayed bullets on a public bus which killed six commuters. The next target was a former deputy nazim of SITE belonging to the MQM, Badshah Khan, 45, along with workers of the PPP and MQM-H. The police say that their hands were tied because of the political expediency of top government officials. While talking to Daily Times, the heavily fortified police chief, which covers Orangi Town, voiced his disappointment and how hes constantly been blackmailed by political parties. Its virtually impossible for us to secure Orangi Town. The situation can only be handled by the army. We all know the criminals but they have political cover, he said.
Security officials say the nexus between politics and crime is an old one in Karachi. Extortionists, kidnappers, drug-peddlers, gunrunners and even petty criminals have managed to find their niche in one political party or the other. All of them are heavily armed and most of them have the connections needed to escape arrest and prosecution. You cannot file an FIR against a political person in Karachi, confirmed a senior police officer who wanted to remain anonymous.
While Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has had a reputation of carrying all the guns, other political and religious parties which have heavily armed bands of militants include the Pakhtun nationalist Awami National Party, the Mohajir Qaumi Movement (Haqiqi), Jamaat-e-Islami, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, Sunni Tehreek and Baloch and Sindhi nationalist groups. All are a source of major headaches for the police. The influx of both licenced and illegally acquired weapons make the task of the law enforcement agencies even more difficult in what they describe as one of the most heavily armed cities of Pakistan.
While the Interior Ministry takes cosmetic measures, a security expert confirmed to Daily Times that the Rangers notification to snap-check and catch criminals has expired a month ago what is the Interior Ministry doing? On the other hand, major hit-groups or shooters working for various political parties, Daily Times could confirm had been sent elsewhere. Official of an intelligence agency told Daily Times that a political party had sent at least two of its top hit-man to Dubai while the other groups had been told to keep a low profile or move to other provinces.
Rehman Malik, the countrys powerful interior minister, who comes from Islamabad after every such cycle of violence, told Daily Times that theres a third force which is intensifying the situation in Karachi, but failed to elaborate further or name the third element. In a high-level meeting presided by the countrys interior minister, which the controversial Sindh Home Minister Zulfiqar Mirza did not attend, important security matters were discussed in detail and a new security plan for Karachi was devised.
While it was decided that a partial curfew would be imposed in some areas and targeted operation will be carried out in areas like Orangi Town, Abul Isphani Road and Gulsitan-e-Jouhar - all MQM strongholds - its not clear if any action would start in ANP dominated Al-Asif Square. On a political front, Zulfiqar Mirza would convince ANP Sindh chief Syed Shahi while the Federal Interior Minister, Rehman Malik, would convince the MQM to sort things out. Taking to Daily Times from Dubai, Syed Shahi said, Rehman Malik seems to be playing the MQMs game and it would be just to call him MQMs interior minister not the PPPs. MQM, the largest political party, which wins 17 out of 19 NA seats in Karachi, the other day tabled a de-weaponisation bill, which it claimed would help reduce terrorism. While the business community is facing another crisis where various gangs had been hounding traders for extortion. A foreign diplomat commented, If the recent wave of violence continues, we might have to pack out consulates from Karachi too due to security concerns.
