Karachi Burning: Clashes, Violence, Firing, Deaths

Posted on May 12, 2007
Filed Under >> Adil Najam, Politics, Society, Law and Justice
257 Comments
Total Views: 25916

Adil Najam

Pictures on the television show Karachi burning. The city is at war. Morchas everywhere. Clashes, violence, firing, deaths.






The Chief Justice is holed up at the airport and the streets are ruled by mobs. Aaj TV is being fired at and Talat Hussain reports that the police and rangers are unable to get their to help because the roads are blocked (to stop the Chief Justice). Of course, these road blocks have not stopped the killers who are firing at the TV station. As of now 15 are reported dead. Over 100 seriously injured. Hospitals in Karachi have declared an emergency. The Prime Minister has called an emergency meeting of his own to respond to what the government is calling a ’security situation’ but which sounds, smells, looks and feels like the beginning of a war on the streets of Karachi. Flights in and out of the city are stalled. Train traffic is stopped. The city seems to have descended back to its darkest days of street violence.

Meanwhile, the petty blame game continues. But things are changing too fast for one to analyze them. But one thing is certain. Things have gone out of control. Totally out of control. Totally out of everyone’s control. It is a sad sad day for all of us.

I wish I had something more profound to say. All I can hink of right now is what someone wrote on our comments section recently: Khuda Khair Karray!

(Picture credits BBC and The News and pictorial story at Bilal Zuberi’s blog; great blog coverage at Karachi Metroblog).

257 comments posted

Comment Pages: « 33 32 31 [30] 29 28 27 26 25 24 231 »

  1. Nasir says:
    May 30th, 2007 5:06 am

    Now the governor is trying to put pressure on
    Sindh High Court judges;

    http://jang.com.pk/jang/may2007-daily/30-05-2007/u p25.gif

  2. Nasir says:
    May 30th, 2007 4:37 am

    Cat is out of the bag…

    Zia formed the MQM: General Beg

    In an interview to Murtaza Solangi of the Voice of America, Gen Beg said “most certainly� it was Zia who had the MQM founded. He added that Gen Musharraf should be asked why he relied on the MQM so much. He said it was under the present government that the offices of MQM’s rival, MQM (Haqeeqi), were shut down and its people sent to jail. The MQM had now come to the aid of the regime in a show of loyalty, he said.

    http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007 %5C05%5C27%5Cstory_27-5-2007_pg7_7

  3. slim says:
    May 29th, 2007 11:56 pm

    I think that we should think as human beings and this was a human tragedy. At least show some grief for those who died.

  4. Sanwal says:
    May 29th, 2007 12:20 pm

    For any MQM die hard fans who think its just opposition supporters blaming MQM may I suggest reading some International or Independent newspapers or magazines.

    Most of them do refer MQM as a Mafia type organization:
    For Example:
    http://www.economist.com/displayStory.cfm?story_id =9177073&fsrc=RSS

    MQM plays the Race card in the elections. This is a great card, worked for OJ also in his murder trial. Worked for Governers of Alabama and Mississpi in 60’s also.
    I am from Punjab and all my life I have supported a Sindhi Shaheed and so did lot of Urdu speaking. I now support a Tiger from Mianwali who prides in being a Pushtoon Niazi.
    When enough of urdu speaking people will look beyond race and judge the leaders by merit, MQM will not stand a chance.

  5. mazhar butt says:
    May 28th, 2007 3:34 pm

    It is surprising to note that despite the carnage of May 12 in Karachi and the ongoing judicial and political crisis in the country, the intellectuals and the sages of the land are hibernating and have shown no sign of their presence nor lent their voice to atone the present commotion.. This is very unbecoming of them and shows their lack of ability and apathy in adjudging and commenting on right and wrong. I must however, commend the bard , Ahmad Faraz, for playing his part of the role, whatsoever. Will the so-called intellectuals and scholars of our country, who ordinarily surge around the media, put up courage and come out of their hide outs and guide the nation and its rulers with their views and suggestions on saving the prevailing situation?

    Mazhar Butt

  6. Adnan Siddiqi says:
    May 28th, 2007 2:14 am

    MQM’s BEST KEPT SECRET

    tinyurl.com/2732z2

  7. mazhar butt says:
    May 27th, 2007 6:52 pm

    I regret to note that my comments have been deleted from this page. seems the moderator didn’t like them. That’s not fair .

  8. Ahmad R. Shahid says:
    May 26th, 2007 6:29 pm

    [quote comment=”47298″]Dear Nation, AOA,

    This is not the pakistan . this is a place where a muslim in now not willing to live any more. Iam a lecturer in SSUET karachi . ask from me the situation of the Next - Generation. they are telling to the whole new upcomming students that we dont want to live in pakistan, and we dont want to serve this country as, this country is now full of currouption, terrisum, and source.

    Now this is enough, and the engough is engough, My God have u seen the thoughts and all wants to go to Australia , Japan ,and now in China . as they also knows that it is a big populated country. but they says that “Its ok Sir, but that would be not a living hell like Pakistan, aur hum kutch tou kaam aur koi na koi job kar leyngay. !!”.

    GOD helps us . Iam word less now. I feel that you should also feel my expression and the moments that iam listening these arugments ,now a days daily.

    regards,
    Engr.Murtaza Hussain
    Lecturer,
    SSUET - Karachi.[/quote]

    Frankly speaking I don’t find any wrong with people wanting to go abroad. Pakistan is not just the neighbor of India, Afghanistan and Iran but also millions living abroad. Call it Greater Pakistan, if you like.

Comment Pages: « 33 32 31 [30] 29 28 27 26 25 24 231 »


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