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).
Adnan, I really enjoyed the last few comments you made. I actually came here to post a comment about Mush hiding behind bullet proof glass and saying ‘mein darta nahin hoon’ :). I have never seen him so afraid. Even Indian Primie Ministers have not demonstrated such cowardness in their past speeches in Sri Nagar. Its Islamabad, your capital, for heavens sake!
Altaf Hussain is a real darbari maskhara and i thought he really entertained his followers by pronouncing CJ’s name during his speech. I wish someone can upload the audio of his speech. I like to believe that hopefully, this is the beginning of an end but I also feel that unless people of Karachi come out on streets and show these MQM gundas that they are not afraid anymore. They have long used used fear to control Karachi and unless people realise that and do something about it, things wont change. I can’t see that happening in next few years atleast.
Like many others, I also felt so depressed when organized gangs were killing people on streets of Karachi and Police and Rangers were just watching. It was also disgusting to hear when Talat Hussain called that piece of $h!t Mohammad Ali Ghalat Biyani and told him that gangs are outside their office and there is a heavy fight going on and please send police and rangers to protect them and residents of nearby buildings. Durrani in reply said that Ji Ye Buhat Afsoosnaak hai, hum iski mukamal inquiry karaye ge.. Late in the evening I heard the news that rangers have finally made it there.
I can totally relate to what Ejaz said in his comment. I prayed if there IS a civil war looming on our heads, please God, let it be thrown to us and let us deal with it sooner the better. And let it be the last war of our shattered hopes, aspirations, high esteemed dreams and of our dignity. Let it be the last and let it be passed soon.
Ameen
I am looking at images on Bilal’s site and a famous verse echoes in my mind ” mein kis kay haath mein apna lahoo talaash karoon”
Zakoota, actually Altaf Hussain and MQM are big hearted people. You are wrongly blaming them for just one incident. Actually I myself know several MQM guys whop are quite peaceful. So please don’t blame everyone for just a few.
:)
Now Mush is blaming those who “politicized” the reference issue. How can a political issue be “politicized” is beyond me. But the hordes of people who have learned to hate politicians would start repeating what Mush is saying.
دوسری طرÙ