Following yesterday’s murderous attack on Islamabad, Karachi has been rocked today by a series of blasts (seven reported till now).
According to The News:
One person was killed and 50 others injured in a series of 6 blasts that ripped through different areas of the busiest city of country on Monday. Two explosions occurred here in Banaras area. One of the blasts happened in a pile of garbage while the other one at a footpath near Banaras chowk, injuring 16 people. They were shifted to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, sources said. Enraged people took the streets and started pelting stones at moving vehicles.
The third explosion ripped through a mini truck in North Nazimabad area of Shahra-e-Noor Jehan near Sohail mosque. Five persons were injured, police sources said. However, Chhipa sources said 8 persons were taken to hospital. There are reports of the fourth blast in Hyderi area near a children’s school. Police mobiles have reached the blasts’s sites while ambulances are shifting the injured to local hospitals. The fifth blast occurred here in a motor cycle in Qasba colony area, killing one person.
A policeman was injured in the sixth blast in a bicycle in Manghopir. Two blasts also occurred in Pak colony in which 7 persons are reported injured. Police has not come up with any statement confirming the above blasts. Police and Rangers have been put on high alert in the city following the series of blasts.
How long will these murderous attacks on innocent Pakistanis continue? There can be no excuse for them. No justifications. No bahana-baazi. These terrorist acts are calculated moves to purposely spread fear and terror. These are clearly a war on Pakistan. A war on Pakistanis. A war on human decency.
Yesterday, after Islamabad’s blast we had written about a friend who survived the ghastly and cowardly attack on innocent people and had written this in an email (to Owais):
Today my belief in Allah’s power and what we call qismat(fate) was re-enforced. One of the things I learned while in overseas (i.e. to stop when a traffic police man tells me to stop) literally saved my life.I was on the other side of the road trying to make a uturn when the suicide bomber hit the policemen in Melody chowk today. If I had not stopped because a traffic policeman signaled me to stop and tell me that I cant make a U-turn, I would literally have been less the 5 feet from the suicide bomber. Luckily I stopped and being on the other side of the double road it placed a distance of around 20 feet between my car and the bomber. Somehow I was lucky enough to only have minor cuts and bruises while some really sharp pieces of metal landed inside my car and completely missed me.
It was one of the most un-nerving experience of my life since Ojhri Camp and also one of the saddest. I would really hope such events would stop in our country and as I fail to see what they achieve except for killing many innocent.
Our friend was extra lucky but for how long will Pakistanis continue to pickup ‘laashe’ of their unlucky loved ones?
This madness, brutality and violence must stop NOW !
Reference: Detailed news of Islamabad’s tragedy here.
Babar: We must deal with this problem with firmest resolve and without giving any ground to the taliban but rhetoric like kill this kill that throw this throw that out of country is not helpful.
Agree that inflammatory, and undirected speech has little use. However, taking the option of killing off the table is fighting with both hands tied – literally. If we can agree that this is a civil war, then violence is a natural corollary. If we cannot agree that this is a civil war, listen to the adversary’s words. And watch their actions: there is deadly intent towards the state itself (the police being an integral element of state power). They already run a parallel state – taxes, courts and all. And they have expansionist tendencies. Defeating them will an definitive military victory followed by some deft political moves. Political moves without a credible military threat equals appeasement. It’s been tried and has failed disastrously.
(This may not apply to Karachi – possible suspect is the MQM – but certainly applies to Islamabad)
Babar said,
“One can not ban an ideology, but it can be politically defeated.”
Well they did it in Turkey. I know understand why they have to ban “fundamantalism” in Turkey.
First we have to admit that Pakistan has many enemies, may be not exactly enemies but unhappy people arround the world.
We have to change this bad image.
If you finger other countries, there will be a response.
That doesnt mean we should ignore the Talibans threat.
Its like stuck between rock and a hard place and rock being the Talibans and illiteracy.
Once Talibans were the assets and strength and now they are a threat and liability same as nuclear capabilities.
If the Talibans were “manufactered”by pakistani mullahs or ISI
or whoever.
They should know their weak points.
there are some who can not resist from spewing their hatred for MQM which is kind of unfortunate realizing the fact that the attacks in Islamabad were perpetrated by radical Jihadis, & the blasts in Karachi have not been figured out yet; i for one am sick of self righteous individuals who have lived all their lives out side of Pakistan let alone ever step a foot in Karachi, & make remarks which are devoid of facts but are laced in deep hatred, ?
A few observations.
One can not ban an ideology, but it can be politically defeated.
We must deal with this problem with firmest resolve and without giving any ground to the taliban but rhetoric like kill this kill that throw this throw that out of country is not helpful. Cause you can do not know who is the next terrorist so killing any body is off the table from the options (perhaps for some proclaimed leaders like baitullah etc)
Hate speach must be avoided be it in the name of religion or country or city .