NEWS ANALYSIS – It is the dreariest start imaginable to the month of Muharram in Karachi. The first 10 days of the holy month are usually risky, but it is the last two days that are considered more susceptible to the villainy of a few. However, the miscreants wanted to spare no time on this occasion and went about their dirty work on the very first day of the month.
They gunned down two young Shia men performing scout duties for Muharram mourners at Numaish Chowrangi, triggering a violent backlash – including firing and arson – to the extent that some of the areas appeared to be battle zones.
Credit goes to the law enforcement agencies for bringing the situation under control before it could have become worse.
Now that the spark has been ignited, the remaining period up till the conclusion of the day of Ashura is surely to be a tense one for the citizens of Karachi.
Those responsible for what happened at Numaish Chowrangi have achieved their objective, and tempers are flying high.
The slightest of provocation is all that would be required to set off a chain of violent events. The Numaish Chowrangi attack might just be the first step in a much more sinister plan.
This makes the law enforcers’ job that much harder. They would have to put in extra effort and be more vigilant to avert a major tragedy in these few days. Given the complexity of the matter, it would be a daunting task. It is not as simple as carrying out a raid to capture a Taliban commander holed up in the city. Sectarianism is an issue laced with complications and a very cautious approach is required to deal with it.
