Peace In Karachi Or A Foul Play With The Victims?

According to the media reports, MQM`s former MNA is recovering gradually. Rashid Godil was attacked in Karachi few days ago by two still unidentified target killers. He is the fifth elected member of MQM who was targeted such a way. Four of them lost their lives in the attacks while Rashid Godil was taken to the hospital in a very critical condition. None of the assailants was arrested. All these members (except the one Tahira Asif who was killed in Punjab) were targeted in Karachi despite the presence of the law-enforcement agencies (LEA`s) on roads.

This incident not only exposed the reality of the LEA`s claims about having kept peace in Karachi, but has also put a big question mark on the direction of the on-going targeted operation since September 2013. 

The biggest city of Pakistan has been facing unrest especially since 2008 during which thousands of people lost their lives. Although Karachi is known as a multi-ethnic city (due to which it is also called “Mini Pakistan” all over the country) yet surprisingly, MQM and its Urdu speaking voters became the major victims of the violence here. From the politically-supported militants to the ethnically-based gangsters and, similarly, from the sectarian outfits to the Taliban and Jihadi groups, all targeted people belonging to the same party and same community.

On the other hand, the role of the police and other law-enforcement agencies (LEA`s) remained very partial regarding providing security to the victims. At Banaras, Katti Pahari and in Liyari, ANP`s racists and Liyari gangsters committed war crimes against Muahjirs for several days continuously, but neither the police nor the Rangers (sub-force of Pakistan army) took any actions against them. Taliban`s bombing MQM`s offices during 2013`s general elections is also a big question mark on the dubious role played by the security agencies. 

Question is who would provide protection to the Karachi-ites if not the law-enforcers who were deployed in the city for this purpose in early 90`s?

Anyway, having faced the bloodshed from different sides, MQM demanded an army operation in Karachi and announced to support to it against the criminals even if any of them might be found in its own rows too.

But very surprisingly, instead of the perpetrators, Police and Rangers exclusively targeted MQM and its sympathizers. By now, thousands of MQM`s workers have been arrested since the targeted operation was initiated; about hundred have been extra-judicially killed and more than this are still missing after they were picked up by the uniformed and plain dressed personnel of different agencies. Taking into account all these problems, it can easily be concluded that an unannounced ban has been put on MQM`s political and welfare activities in Pakistan just like on telecasting Altaf Hussain`s live and recorded speeches on the country`s news channels. Though MQM has been calling attention of all the people concerned including the judiciary, but none of them has yet given an ear to it.

Question is does it make sense that the party and the people who have consistently become the main victims of the long-prevailing terrorism/violence in Karachi are being targeted once again by the paramilitary forces in the name of taking actions against criminals? Is this not an act of a state-patronized victimization of a specific community and party?    

Since mid 80`s, the same evil game is being played in the Quaid`s city. First the terrorists were let loose at Muhajirs and then military operation was launched against the victims. Over 15,000 Urdu speaking people, mostly MQM`s workers and leaders, were killed in the city which had been under the total control of the Army and Rangers since June 19, 1992. What else should it be called if not systemized genocide of Muhajirs? The number of people extra-judicially killed by the security forces is in addition to that.

In 2015 too, the Rangers-led targeted operation is on full swing and the political and military officials are claiming that they have restored peace in the city. If their claims are true, why are the MQM`s workers and leaders being killed consistently? Furthermore, all those workers who went missing after arrest, and the LEA`s are denying their custody, then who the hell is kidnapping and dumping their mutilated dead bodies in the Rangers-controlled city? If the Pakistani security forces are not really involved in this, is it not their prime responsibility to bring the responsible to justice?

MQM has already lost four of its members of parliament in the attacks; one is in the hospital, and still there is a long list of other party leaders who have similar, rather more severe threats from the terrorists. In addition, the target killings of its workers, Muhajir scholars and intellectuals are still in progress. In such a scenario, how can it be claimed that peace has been restored in the city?

In fact, true peace benefits all people in a society indiscriminately. Consequently, if the Rangers and police have really brought back Karachi`s peace, it means the lives and properties of Karachi-ites have been secured regardless of their ethnicity, sect, race, religions and political affiliation. But, if only one specific party and community are on the target (MQM and Muhajirs in this case) and the rest are safe in the same city, yet the state officials are expressing their satisfaction over it, it implies that it is not peace at all, but a foul play with the victims which is a crime against humanity.