This is apropos the issue of extra judicial killing of Sarfraz Shah, by members of civil paramilitary force personnel in Karachi. It was a brutal act which should never had taken place at the hands of men in uniform. Those responsible must be punished.
This incident should open the eyes of all those who wield political power in Karachi and have resorted to politics of violence through target killings, kidnapping for ransom and unchecked street crimes. It is these crimes which have been taking place under the patronage of powerful power brokers from the days of Musharraf’s illegitimate rule to the present day, when there is a democratic government, which have led to the need to call Rangers to restore peace to this unfortunate city.
If this democratic government had enforced the writ of law in Karachi by refusing to compromise on basic issues of governance, that require any government to protect lives of citizens and bring culprits to book, Karachi would not have become one of the most dangerous city of Asia.
After all thousands of citizens who have fallen prey to target killers, including journalist Wali Khan was not the act of rangers, or the police, but organised criminals who have patronage of political parties that form the coalition government in Sindh.
We need to eradicate the cause of all the ills that necessitate induction of Rangers to enforce law and order in Karachi. This can only happen if police is disciplined and depoliticised through induction on merit instead of political recommendations. However, as long as these armed gangs of target killers and criminals are not apprehended and eliminated, the need for Rangers to restore peace in Karachi is a necessity, not an option.
MALIK TARIQ ALI
Lahore