At least 11 people, including two women and a minor girl, were killed and over two dozen people sustained serious bullet wounds in an attack on a joint rally organised on Tuesday by the banned People’s Aman Committee (PAC) and the Awami Tehreek (AT) against the rising demands for a separate “Muhajir Sooba”. Calls for a separate province for immigrants had been making rounds in Karachi since the past few weeks after similar demands in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Several dozen unidentified women had recently held a demonstration at Arts Council Chowrangi in Karachi in support of a “Muhajir Sooba”. On the other hand, nationalist parties had vowed not to allow the bifurcation of Sindh and Tuesday’s attack appears to be the beginning of violence over the thorny issue. Per reports, hundreds of protesters, including women and children, from Lyari took out a rally against the demands for a “Mohajir Province” from Ath Chowk in Lyari.
The rally was led by PAC leader Uzair Jan Baloch and Awami Tehreek leader Ayaz Latif Palejo. The rally was heading towards the Karachi Press Club (KPC) where the protesters planned a sit-in, but as they reached MA Jinnah Road near Denso Hall, some unidentified armed men opened fire at the people from atop buildings in the area.
The firing resulted in a stampede and people ran amok in panic, looking for shelter. As the protesters started heading back towards their houses in Lyari after the attack, some unidentified men again fired on them from within the residential flats between Garden and Dhobi Ghat area and killed a number of people. Besides, 10 shops in Chemical Market along the MA Jinnah Road, 10 vehicles and nine motorcycles were set on fire in violence following the attack on the rally. Awami Tehreek President Ayaz Latif Palejo announced a wheel-jam strike across Sindh to protest the attack. “We will avenge the killings, but I make it clear that we will not target innocent people as our enemies did today,” Palejo said, adding that those earlier held responsible for deadly incidents of April 9, May 12 and Ashura blast in the metropolis were behind the firing on the rally. He alleged that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) had sold Karachi in the name reconciliation. “Those who want Karachi as a separate province must keep one thing in mind that Karachi is linked with up-country from Sindh and Karachi receives its water share from Kotri, which is located in interior Sindh,” he said.
He also appealed to army chief General Ashfaq Kayani to look into the matter. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Coordination Committee condemned the killing of innocent people in the rally. Talking to Pakistan Today, the South Zone DIG said 11 people, including two women and a minor girl, were killed and 28 others injured in the attacks. To a question about the security of the rally, he said the organisers of the rally did not approach law enforcement agencies for securing the procession, but police had itself deployed adequate number of personnel to protect the participants. Fear engulfed the city after the attack and ensuing violence. Board of Intermediate Education Karachi (BIEK) postponed all exams scheduled for May 23 (today) due to tense situation in the city.
Everyone knows who did this???? a child age 5 years knows this that who is doing all this in Karachi. Come on Media, show the right picture, tell the nation, as all of you know who is killing…………..
Shakeel why did you not name whoever is behind this? Cold feet?Name it and then you will be justified in saying what you did otherwise it is trash.
naam lay yar.. aise maza nae aa rha… ye to main b bol dun k peechay
Its time that the hidden hand is exposed. The hidden hand wants bloodshed in Sindh between old and new Sindhi's. I hope that all those who have the interest of this land of sufi's at heart will not fall prey to this conspiracy.
Jahils.
I am absolutely against Muhajir Sooba. Integrate into Pakistan first and stop calling yourselves muhajirs.
Millions of immigrants of different backgrounds live in USA, Do they demand separate state? for each ethnicity?
Sindhis should realize that for all his demands for Saraiki province, Altaf Hussain was laying the grounds for a separate province in Sindh. He had no love for the Saraiki, only wanted to stir the pot. The man is a criminal thug and owes a lot of explanation for the deaths in Karachi and for turning the lovely city of Karachi into hell.
First of all this isn't the first blood spill for Muhajir Province back in 90s, there is a history which changed the shape of both big cities of the Sindh ( Karachi & Hyderabad ) how one can forget, mass slaughter in Hyderbad Latifabad due to which all the sindhi's had to move in new area outside hyderabad "Nasim Nagar & Qasimabad ". This Sindh Muhajir Riots break out every time when government fails completely just to divert the attention 1000s has died and 90s news papers are filled with many headlines. This time there is no real demand of Muhajir Province but again showing the power to Sindhi Nationalist ( JSQM & SLA , etc.. ) What they are demanding is half of the sindh south west which includes 5 major cities including Karachi and Hyderabad and entire Coastal area and not to forget Thar "Coal". I don't think at any cost Army would let this happen, it's all setup and planned well but there is no reality of this day dream. It's shameful to see the failure of this government are turning into tactics, same like peeling off hair's skin.
Lets assume MQM is supporting this movement, don't they know they'll starve to death, from agriculture till live stock , Water will be in Sindh's hand. once sindh stopped supplies to Karachi even couple of weeks, People here will start dying they have no other option and beside it I seriously don't think so CJP or COAS are blind as politicians they know Sindh is better off in one piece.
This blood spill by the MQM goons was a replay of 12th May massacre. It is cold blooded murder and PPP is responsible for what has happened.
MQM is responsible for this killing of 11 people. MQM should be butchered and Altaf Hussain should be hanged publicly
Uzair Ahmed
London
12TH MAY,2007,LYARI TRAGEDY,22ND MAY,2012 ETC IS THE PRICE ZARDARI IS EXTORTING FROM NATION FOR COALITION SUPPORT MQM IS GIVING TO CONSOLIDATE HIS POWER AND ILL GOTTEN BILLIONS OF CORRUPTION RIDDEN WEALTH.CHOUDRIES,WALIS,GEO,DUNYA,CNBC,SAMAA,ARY,EXPRESS,AAJ,NEWSONE,DIN,ETC FOOTBOYS OF MQM ABET IT EVERY HOUR TO DESTROY NATION AND POOR
Yet again, the same old hands, doing the same old things. GOD bless Pakistan and save it too.
History tells us that vast uninhabited territories of land in a country were made useful by offering incentive to people to move there.In our case to reduce burden on over populated provinces all those demanding new Soobas should be shifted to remote areas of Baluchistan and Tribal area or FATA. Every one will be happy.
Do all we have courage to come out and take this matter to the Top level. The Gov has failed to improve the situation. I am seeing another trip of Mr Malik to Karchi.
there should be a separate province for mohajir people. we don't want to live with this idiots and jahils (sindhis and pathans specifically). Karachi can itself thrive into one of the worlds major cities like hong kong. we dont need sindhs agriculture or whatever, we can easily import them. go for mohajir soba!!
Can v not change it to 1 thing i.e, make Pakistan one unit as Ayub did it, no provinces, All Pakistanis, All Muslims.
These people fought for partition and now they are the unwanted.Strange turn.
Comments are closed.