Maria Murtaza (Housewife)
I feel sorry for the city due to the prevailing conditions caused by targeted killings. We can’t leave our houses at night. Karachi is not as it used to be. We just go to our work and come back and go nowhere else fearing the targeted killings taking place in the city.
Ali Artani (Student at the IoBM and the KU)
These killings are nothing but a representation of how weak our government system is. It does not affect high level authorities, but only common people. I am a student. I was totally prepared for my MA examinations but they got delayed. People are unable to go to work as they don’t have any transport available during strikes. It’s amazing how one politician makes a bad move in front of the media and because of him, several people die. We can only wish for things to get better. God bless Karachi!
Priya Anoop (Student)
I would say that it’s one of the many things in Pakistan that are happening, and no one knows who is responsible and why there is no stopping it. As far as its impact is concerned, needless to say, it has deprived us of our already very low sense of security. i don’t know if personal anecdotes help but my brother has been searching for this particular book that he needs for his O-Levels exam and apparently it’s only available at Urdu Bazaar. It’s the only book for the subject but he hasn’t been able to go purchase it in the past month because my mother is too scared to send him that far. This is a very self-centred type of an impact but I am mentioning this because it really makes me wonder how it is to actually live in those areas. the only thing I can say, as incoherent as it is, is that it is very very frightening.
Prof Omamah Alvi
Targeted killings are obviously a way for political parties to demonstrate their power and they create havoc in the country and the domino effect that it creates affects the lives of every Pakistani. It makes the city unsafe but if you think about it, we are so desensitised to death and chaos in this country that it doesn’t really make a difference anymore. The killing of Benazir Bhutto was one after which I actually felt that anything can happen and we aren’t safe anymore.
Hamza Zahid (Chartered Accountant)
. This city is heading towards an ethnic bloodbath if the current situation is not controlled. The term “targeted killing” hides the fact that it is the common people of Karachi who are dying in the cross-fire. Life has no worth in Karachi. It’s time that Pakistan strengthens its law enforcment agencies and brings peace in the country. It is unfortunate that Karachi is the financial capital of Pakistan and these targeted killings have completely destroyed the economic and financial structure of the country.
Zakwan Usmani (Student)
In the event of losing a dear one in targeted killings, the bereaved family is left in a state of shock, grief and fear and the psycological trauma is so intense that it is difficult to recover from it for the rest of the life. A medical survey has revealed that today, a much higher percentage of people are affected with mental diseases/behavioural disorders than it was two decades ago.When a family loses a bread-winner, the family plunges into poverty, leading to an increase in the crime rate. This leaves a very detrimental impact on the country’s economy. Moreover, such conditions tarnish the image of the country in the world, giving its people a poor reputation, wherever they go.
Dr Ahsan Shehzad
We have to sit at home with nothing to do, as we fear of going out of our homes. Life has become miserable. I live in constant fear of losing my loved ones.
Khalid Faruqi PIA engineer
We engineers can’t work properly in disturbing environment. The ratio of absentism has increased and the life of passengers are at risk too.
Ahsan Iftikhar Nagi (Student at The City School PAF Chapter)
When I tell you that I witnessed 100 people dying in just four days, it would make you think that I live in a war zone but when you would see around, you would come to know that I live in a metropolitan city and the financial hub of the country. Seeing mothers losing their children, sisters losing brothers and kids losing their parents is a very tough phase for a person like me. When I think about the current law and order situation, my mind tells me that I am just an ordinary guy with no powers with which I can stand up and stop these few groups which have taken the City of Lights in their hands. Then I start to cry and I look towards my government to take a stand against these militants and give my rights to me for which they took votes from this nation but I don’t see it happen. If you are thinking that I am also that person, who would blame the militants then my friend you are wrong. Allowing a section of people to take the law and order in hands is the criminal negligence of the Sindh government. I would only blame the government for this. May God keep your loved ones safe, because I know how difficult it is to see loved ones going away.
Dr Usman Siddiqui
They cause fear and insecurity among us for ourselves and our families, causing depression. The situation isn’t improving and a lot of people are moving to other places. My plans of not staying in the country or perhaps about coming back and working here have significantly changed.
Dr Mrs Nayyar Ahmad Abdullah
I am a doctor practicing at Qatar Hospital in Orangi Town, Karachi for the last 10 years now. A few years ago, the only entrance to Orangi Town was through Banaras, and whenever the Pathan-Mohajir riots broke out, the town was completely sealed and no one could enter or exit. Then recently, a path was made through the mountain, known as Kati Pahari, to provide an alternate route for those going to or coming from Orangi Town. Instead of making things easier, the Kati Pahari has become an extremely dangerous route for me to take while going to the town. The area is under constant tension and cross-fire during Pathan-Mohajir conflicts, making things extremely difficult for us doctors to reach Qatar Hospital safely.
Danish Tabassum (Economist and research analyst)
The most unfortunate situation is only with common people, as they don’t know who is fighting with whom, why are they doing it and where would this end? These are a few of many questions that the common man is searching for and is unable to answer. The impact of targeted killings results in strikes by political parties, which show their control over a city. Now what would a daily wager do whenever there is a strike. That’s the problem, he has nothing else to do, other than to become mentally disturbed. And then what happens is that a person, who could be running his business, participates in riots and burns tyres, buses and the city’s assets to get his frustration known. This whole unfortunate situation is just making a common man mentally ill, and they are unable to contribute anything beneficial to this nation. In my opinion, it is done by external forces to weaken our common man and youth so that they can invade us easily. This uncertainty of what happens tomorrow, is changing people’s perspective of patriotism and they consider leaving Pakistan and getting settled in some other country.
