Re: History of MQM terrorism in Pakistan
Brief history of the 1983-1986 events in Karachi
Some time in 1983, a dispute arose over the construction of a shia mosque in Godhra Colony, Karachi between shias and godhra people. There were some casualties on both sides. Later on shias staged a 3 day sit in at Karachi's MA Jinnah Road. The godhra people approached darul uloom amjadia - sunni bralvi madarrssa for help but they were not responded by them. They later went to Binoria Town where they were welcomed with open arms. The ulema at Binoria were mainly pushtoons - one name appeared more than anyone else then was Moulana Asfandyar Khan. He made furious statements against shias in rallies and newspapers.
The student belonging to the madarrssa (mainly pakhtoons) came to Liaqatabad' Imam Bara (baorded on suzuki pick ups) and shouted slogans against shias and threw stones on the imam bara and left. Later shias indugled in violence with the local sunnies. That was the beginning of the two years long shia sunni conflict in Karachi which ended in in 1984. Many shias were killed, their mosques and houses burnt down. Shias did a killing of sunnies as well but at a lesser scale at Guru Mandir, Karachi.
In April 1985, a college girl namely Bushra Zaidi was overran by pathan mini bus driver in Nazimabad. Due to that violence erupted over there and pakhtoons transport was targeted. Bushra Zaidi was a shia girl. After her funeral, shia youths boarded on buses and went to the Banars area of Karachi there they spread rumors that pathans were about to attack mujharis. As a result, violence spread all over Orangi Town. Many pushtoons were killed in Bangash Colonay then - Pushtoons alleged that kids and women were also killed there.
Anyway things cooled down till MQM held its first ever rally on August 8, 1986 in Nishter Park Karachi where AH made furious statements agaist punjabies and pukhtoons. On October 20 or something an other pathan mini bus driver bumped its van into the train at the level crossing at Landhi. Again there were riots between the two communities in Landhi and adjoining areas.
On October 31, 1986 MQM planned their rally in Hdyerabad and AH led a procession towards Hyderabad via Sohrab Goth. Some 10-11 people were killed on that day in clashes between pathans/afghans and mqm workers over there. The violence spread over other parts and Hyderabad. Both parties alleged each other for that. Pukhtoons said that the first fire was opened by MQM and vice versa.
In November 1986 Governor Jahandad Khan ordered action against drug and arms smugglars at Sohrab goth. Pukhtoons took it as an action against them.
On Decemeber 14, 1986 there was an unprovked and planned attack by puktoon people on Ali Garh Colony. That started early in the morning and continued till afternoon as army arrived there. Many people inlcuding women and children were killed and burnt alive. Hundreds of houses were gutted.
Later on retaliatory violence against pukhtoons started in the city and some of them were burnt alive in their talls. Really that was very trageic then.
