KARACHI - Police and paramilitary troops were ordered on Friday to shoot on sight in Karachi as up to another 33 people were killed by Friday evening, bringing the total death toll to 110 in four days of ethnic and political violence.
Shops and fuel stations were shut and public transport idled after the city?s dominant political party, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), announced a day of mourning in response to the latest violence in the country?s financial hub.
The impotence of the government and law enforcement agencies was evident from the continued violence as unrelenting battles between the gangsters enjoying political support and their attacks on innocent citizens continued unabated despite authorities? claims of taking drastic security measures, including the calling in of 1,000 paramilitary FC troops.
Our staff reporters said they did not see any mentionable presence of the Rangers and the police in the city most troubled areas of the city that reverberated with heavy firing by the armed men ruling the streets with complete impunity.
Giving an account of his visit to the hard-hit Qasba Colony, our staffer Mansoor Khan said: ?Children are crying for milk and food in the area but their helpless and frightened parents are unable to get them out of the area or buy them meal as the non-stop and indiscriminate firing is keeping the residents house-bound. The colony is virtually a war zone with heavy street presence of armed men. No common citizen is seen in the area.?
Hundreds of families have shifted to the safer places to avoid the harm while dozens of houses, shops and vehicles were set on fire in different parts of the city. Some unidentified attackers lobbed a grenade in Bheempura area, killing two persons. Miscreants fired four rockets at different areas of Baldia Town. Miscreants also attacked Mominabad police station.
In Qasba number 1/5 Saifullah was shot dead while armed men killed Sakhiur Rehman at Qasba number 2. At Sehzad Cinema, Qasba Colony, a passerby Ghaniur Rehman was shot dead.
In Qasba 2-1/2 and 2/1, Akbar alias Jumman was shot dead while a 19-year-old Usman s/o Suleman was killed near Mubarak Mosque and Yumna, Rehan and Zaghfaran sustained bullet injures. Another victim Yousuf Jinnah in Qasba Colony no 2 was standing outside his home when a bullet riddled his head and he died on the way to Qatar Hospital. In the remits of Mominabad police station, Orangi sector 10, Arshad Khan was gunned down. Firing at Zamzam Bakery located at Iqbal Market, sector 11/1/2 near Siddique Mosque, killed Iqbal S/O Afreen while his uncle Qadar was injured. At Katti Pahari in Sharah-e-Noorjahan Police precincts, a passerby Rafiullah son of Rahimullah was shot dead.
In North Nazimabad near D Silva 30, Arif Ibrahim was shot dead. In Kharader Police limits, Noor Muhammad was shot dead near Galana Road Na-Khuda Mosque. A watchman namely Abdul Qyoom was shot dead by attackers in Bombay Bazaar. Another victim of the same area, 28-year-old Fazalur Rehman was targeted killed at Machi Miani Market. In Saeedabad Sector 8, three men Ayub Masih, Bismillah Khan and an unidentified man were gunned down. In the same area of Baldia Police, sector 7, Ranghar area, a 12-year-old Shahabad sustained bullet injures at his house and died on the way to hospital. Ahsan Rashid of the same area was shot dead near local graveyard.
Miscreants fired bullets and later torched four vehicles in Azizbhatti near Micasa apartments and Hassan Square, killing two man namely Dost Mohammad and Daniyal while Lal Mohammad and Noor Ahmed sustained bullet injures. In Model Colony near railway track, Abid alias Baba was shot dead by unknown assailants. Gunmen on motorbike lobbed hand grenades at a building at Bhimpura in the limits of Nippier Police and also resorted indiscriminate firing which killed Hussain Ghanchi, Maojee and unidentified man.
In midnight violence, two people were killed in New Town, one in Lines area, one in Pirabad and two in Mochko area.
In Bilal Colony sector 5-E 60, Ghulam Sarwar was shot dead. In Nazimabad No, 7, seven-year-old Salman Siddique was shot dead. An unidentified body bearing torture marks was found from Old Golimar, Shah Jahanabad, and was shifted to morgue after autopsy at Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. Violent incidents were also reported in some other areas of metropolis. In Pan Mandi, a two-storey building was torched while three shops were set ablaze at Aligarh Bazar. Seven other shops and around a dozen vehicles were also set on fire.
Meanwhile, University of Karachi on Friday announced to postpone all exams which were to be held on Saturday, an official said. Controller of examination said that the schedule for postponed papers would be announced later. However all main administrative offices of the university, would remain open on Saturday the controller said.
Federal Minister for Interior affairs Rehman Malik on Friday said that law enforcing agencies (LEAs) have arrested 173 suspected persons and killed two alleged assailants in an encounter during an operation against killers in the city. He did not disclose the political affiliation of those arrested but said that 19 were Pashto speaking, 12`Urdu speaking and 3 Balochi speaking among the arrested miscreants.
Malik while talking to media after attending a high level meeting at the Chief Minister House in which Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Qaim Ali Shah was also present, said that under a new strategy, some areas will be handed over to the Rangers while others to the police. In addition, 250 personnel of Frontier Constabulary (FC) have also been called to assist police and rangers, he added.
Malik said that Rangers have been given a ?free hand? to conduct operations against the killers. ?They have been asked to go for encounters against the miscreants when necessary to stop killing of innocent people in the city?, he remarked. He pointed out that the presence of intelligence has also been enhanced three times to get authentic information about the miscreants. ?The law enforcement forces could be summoned from other provinces to Karachi if any need arise?, he said, adding that the targeted action would be continued in Qasba Colony, Kati Pahari and Baldia, the most troubled areas of the metropolis.
Responding to a question, the interior minister said that he was in contact with MQM chief Altaf Hussain and ANP chief Asfandyar Wali and other parties to request them to control their workers. ?I also appealed to them to ask their leaders and workers to support and cooperate with the government in its efforts to arrest the killers,? he added. ?I was in contact with Altaf Bhai last night and today (Friday) to seek his support and I thank him for withdrawing the strike call and also postponing the march which was planned for Friday.?
Rehman Malik, who also regarded as trouble shooter for Sindh Government, arrived in the city on Thursday night, where he alongwith the Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah held series of meetings with law enforcement agencies on city?s situation. Malik on Thursday night said: ?We know which forces are behind these killings. We have satellite records of the areas where terrorists are killing innocent people,? said Malik. ?These militants are no lesser evil than the Taliban. They are killing people to destablise the democratic system,? he added. He said that notification has been issued for deploying of 1,000 FC personnel in city for crackdown against the miscreants.
On Friday, he said that LEAs have also been given the identity of those groups which were demanding ?bhatta? from businessmen in the city. Referring to some pockets where criminal groups are resorting firing on transport and people, Rehman Malik said that LEAs have been directed to conduct operation in Katti Pahari area, Qasba Morr and Sherpao Colony. He also urged the media not to sensationalise the incidents and not to count the deceased like cricket score. They are human beings and their respect should be maintained, he added. Malik also said media will not be allowed for their own safety in those areas where LEAs are conducting operations against the criminals. They will be allowed, once an area is cleared from the miscreants, the Minister added.
Earlier, Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah said that law and order situation has improved and firing incidents have reduced after LEAs action against miscreants since last (Thursday) night. He said Sindh government will support the Rangers as they are an effective force. ?We will own their actions as they are needed to control law and order and take action against the criminals,? he added.
?We have issued orders to the security forces to shoot anyone involved in violence on the spot,? Sharjeel Memon, the provincial information minister, said. ?In addition to the police and Rangers, another 1,000 personnel of the Frontier Constabulary (FC) will be deployed in the city to control the violence,? he said. ?Thirty-seven people were killed yesterday alone,? Memon said. But according to The Nation reporters the Thursday?s toll was 45, while 33 people had been killed on Tuesday and Monday, bringing the total of three days to 77.
Most of the casualties over the past three days were reported in the city?s western Qasba Colony and adjoining areas a multi-ethnic, lower middle class neighbourhood. But slowly, trouble is spreading to other parts of the city.
Firing could be heard in several areas on Friday, and in some spots residents burned tires and threw stones at the few passing vehicles on the street. The affected areas included Kharadar, Orangi Town and New Karachi where several people were shot dead and many wounded. Gunfire reverberated in several neighbourhoods and thousands of people were stranded, short of food and too frightened to go out. Huddles of people waited in vain at bus stops for public transport and most shops were closed. Every few kilometres, a small group of lightly armed police stood a wary watch.
The stock market was open, but the main index was down 0.42 percent by 3:30pm in light trade. ?Not many people are willing to trade today and everyone is concerned about the situation in the city,? said Sajid Bhanji, a director at brokers Arif Habib Ltd. ?The stock market has also announced that the settlement of today?s trades will be done on Monday, which shows they are worried about the situation.?
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