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