Karachi has seen one of the worst sectarian killings in Pakistan for long. But for several years now things were under control. Reason I believe was Musharraf government’s actions sectarian outfits in Pakistan, especially in Punjab.
Action in Punjab was necessary because most sectarian terrorist organizations originate from southern Punjab.
Unfortunately, all the good work that was done by previous government in this regard has been undone by support to sectarian terrorists by Punjab government. This support to violent extremism in Punjab goes upto the top level. Not only has Punjab law minister publicly appeared hand-in-hand with criminals like Sipahe Sahaba, but even Chief Minister of Punjab Shahbaz Sharif condoned extremism. Even now he refuses to accept the existence of problem in southern Punjab.
It looks like PMLN’s “hard work” has now started to pay off in Karachi. Recently target killings of shias, especially shia doctors, have started yet again. Today I read that these fasadis killed a police officer when four of their fellow munafiqeen were taken to a court.
These sectarian killings include mostly shia people, but also include some sunni (read “sunni” not wahhabi) people as well.
If origin of this terrorism in Karachi is confirmed to have originated in southern Punjab then it is necessary for Pakistan’s security to remove terrorism supporters in Punjab government, including Sanaullah and Shahbaz Sharif.
KARACHI: At least seven people were killed in Karachi in incidents of target killings during the past 24 hours, taking the toll of sectarian killings in the first two weeks of June to 15, DawnNews reported.
An elderly man and an activist of a religious outfit were shot dead in different parts of the city on Monday.
On Monday morning, an elderly man was forced to stop his car under the Nazimabad flyover before being shot dead by armed motorcyclists, police and witnesses said.
Syed Ayub Naqvi, 68, who was known among his peers for his literary contributions, was targeted near the main Petrol Pump bus stop while he was driving to an Imambargah in Nazimabad No 3.
“Mr Naqvi was heading to Imambargah Noor-i-Iman when his car was intercepted by two armed motorcyclists under the Nazimabad flyover,” said Sub-Inspector Jehanzeb, the SHO of the Nazimabad police station.
“The riders forced him to apply brakes. As soon as he stopped, one of the riders got off the motorbike carrying a 9mm pistol and fired multiple shots at the elderly man, who died on the spot.”
The attackers escaped from the crime-scene, leaving him in a pool of blood, the policeman said.
The body was later shifted to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for medico-legal formalities. Doctors said the victim had suffered two bullet wounds in the head.
Mr Naqvi was a resident of Gulshan-i-Iqbal and father of two. Apart from being the author of a few books, he had several translations to his credit. He also set up a bookstall in the Imambargah every Friday, his aides said.
In the evening, a large number of people attended the victim’s funeral prayers offered at Imambargah Rizvia in Nazimabad. They chanted slogans against terrorism and sectarianism and also criticised the government for its failure to put an end to the wave of sectarian killings in the city.
Condemning the latest incident, religious leaders and scholars expressed their serious concern over the fresh wave of killings targeting members of a particular sect in the city. They said the ongoing sectarian killings had exposed the government claims that a strategy was ready to take action against the banned outfits.
“Karachi has become a centre of targeted killings,” said Allama Abbas Kumaili of the Jafria Alliance Pakistan. “An operation has become crucial to root out terrorism and its links in the city. Otherwise, it will be a disastrous situation beyond everyone’s control.”
Later in the evening, an activist of the Ahl-i-Sunnat Wal Jamaat was gunned down near his apartment on University Road, police and party sources said.
Ibrahim Mana, 32, was targeted by two armed motorcyclists close to the Met Office, an official of the Mobina Town police station said. He said the activist received five bullets in his upper torso.
“He was walking home when targeted by the armed men on a motorbike,” said the official. “He was rushed to a private hospital in Gulistan-i-Jauhar, where he died during the treatment. The body was later shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for medico-legal formalities.”
A spokesman for the Ahl-i-Sunnat Wal Jamaat termed the fresh killing an attempt to foment sectarian unrest. He cited “anti-state forces behind the frequent murders of the aides.”
“We have lost at least three colleagues within a week,” said Ahsanullah Farooqi of the Ahl-i-Sunnat Wal Jamaat, formerly called the Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan. “Our appeals and request to the authorities concerned for the security of the party workers have been ignored and it seems that the authorities are not interested in maintaining peace in the city.”
Meanwhile, markets remained closed in Nazimabad and Ancholi as fear gripped various localities amid interrupted gunfire. A bus was also set ablaze near the Petrol Pump bus stop in Nazimabad.
An hour after sunset, charged youths hurled stones at the vehicles passing through the Golimar area. The situation became even more precarious when police fired into the air and used teargas shells to disperse the mob.
The situation caused severe traffic jams in different areas, including Liaquatabad, Nazimabad, Habib Bank Chowrangi, and on roads linking Nazimabad with other parts of the metropolis.
Fifteen people have lost their lives in the wave of sectarian killings in June. The frequent protest demonstrations against the killings have only won pledges from the authorities who claim to be very ‘close to the killers.’
“We are looking into each case separately,” said Sindh Inspector-General of Police Sultan Salahuddin Babar Khattak while speaking to Dawn on Monday.
“In several cases, we have found links that suggest these were indeed sectarian killings. Obviously, we have reason to believe that a few of them were executed by the banned outfits.”
When asked what surety the police authorities could give to prevent the possible spread of sectarian unrest, he confidently said that a strategy had already been evolved to counter such attempts. “In some cases, we have identified the people behind the killings. Efforts are on for their arrests. We will not let it grow from this point,” the IG said.