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Political violence poses grave threat to security situation
By Salis bin Perwaiz
Karachi
While armed robberies are continuing to blight security efforts in the city, the more alarming situation pertains to the spate of target killings of political activists, especially those belonging to Mohajir Qaumi Movement (MQM-H) in Karachi.
In the past two months, several senior and young members of the party were shot dead. A senior officer, on condition of anonymity, said that the spate of target killing of political activists was damaging the environment of the city, and could even initiate a wave of more widespread violence if such instances were not curbed.
According to the officer, various police establishments receive intelligence reports on a daily basis, and when they receive information regarding the expected targeting of an an activist of a political group, they immediately forward the information to that particular person and urge him to leave the area. He said that in such type situations, there might be a third party leaking intelligence reports to criminals, who then trace the persons’ hiding place.
Regardless, law-and-order situations have been witnessed in different parts of the city in the recent past, with offices of political groups being torched. Awami National Party (ANP) has been worst hit, with a number of cases registered against such acts. Syed Sajid Shah, a resident of Umar Colony and an activist of ANP, registered a complaint at the Ferozeabad police station, claiming that he was cleaning the ANP Ward office when accused Ghufran, Irfan and others came and opened indiscriminate firing at the office. He sustained a bullet wound on his leg, while the criminals fled.
Another complaint was registered by ANP activist Shah Zaman, a resident of Quaid-i-Azam Colony, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, at the Mobina Town police station. Zaman claimed that he was present at party’s unit office with other workers of on June 6, 2009, when accused persons belonging to their rival group, identified as Unit Incharge Shahid Abbas, Haris, Mustafa, Younus Odh and four other men came and opened fire at them. He said that they immediately saved themselves by running towards a narrow street and informed the local police about this incident. He added that accused persons burnt their office, torched office records, documents, party flags, pictures of leaders and Rs40,000. The police have lodged an FIR against the above nominated accused, but no arrests have been made in this regard.
In Aziz Bhatti police station, ASI Saeed Ahmed registered an FIR against activists of a political group for attacking the police. Ahmed said that he was posted at Mohafiz Force, Hasan Square Headquarter. On June 6, 2009, when he was returning to work along with three of his colleagues, some 20 to 25 youngsters belonging to a political group attacked their vehicle.
Several other cases of firing and robbery have been filed at various police stations of the city. Now it is up to the concerned authorities to adopt concrete measures to restore the peace of Karachi.
salis .perwaiz@thenews.com.pk
The News: Friday, July 10, 2009
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