Sectarian murders eclipse targeted operation

Although the law enforcers were successful in bringing politically motivated killings under control in the highly volatile metropolis by carrying out targeted operations, they are in a fix to stop sectarian violence that has engulfed the mega city during the last one month.
A sharp decline has been witnessed in targeted killings when the law enforcement agencies launched targeted operation in the unstable city on directives of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif but the temporary peace has shaken last month with eruption of sectarian violence.
However, the political parties have claimed that some militant groups after sowing seeds of sectarianism in Quetta have now moved to Karachi and Lahore to destabilise both the provincial capitals. They are of the view that the militant groups have made hideouts in some areas that are located on borders of the mega city as they have received shut up calls from the posh areas of the metropolis.
On the other hand, the police officials have accused that some groups are trying to sabotage the ongoing targeted operation but when they realised that their plan will prove fruitless, they used tool of sectarian clashes. They also claimed that those who were killed in the violence that erupted in the city last month, were either targeted on basis of their sects or on other grounds.
However, they admitted that some interface areas mostly located on western borders of the port city are vulnerable for fanning sectarianism inside. They also accepted that some militant groups infiltrated to the metropolitan and made their hideouts in interface areas which are comparatively more hostile.
The statistics available with Pakistan Today has disclosed that total 109 people have fell victim of sectarian violence till December 5 in the ongoing year in the metropolis. Out of these 109, 56 Shia community members, 24 activists of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ), 9 belong to Deoband school of thought, seven belongs to Tableegi Jamaat, four members of Ahmadi community, three Bohra community, two each of Sunni Tehreek (ST) and Ismailis and one each belongs to Barohi and Hindu community.
Most of the sectarian killings in the city took place in the month of November in which 26 people were gunned down on basis of their sects while July proved as the most peaceful month on account of sectarian killings in which no one was targeted on sectarian accounts.
If we look into month-wise situation of sectarian killings, 11 people including five Shia, three Sunni and three others belonging to Deoband school of thought were killed in month of January. 17 people including seven Shia, 10 Sunni, five Deobandis and one member of Barohi community were killed on basis of sect in February. In March four people including three Shia and one Hindu have become victims of sectarian attacks.
In April four Shia , in May one Shia , in June three including two Shia and one Qadyani, in August 10 people including three Shia, two each Ismaili and Ahmadi, one Sunni and two activists of Tableegi Jamaat, in September 11 people including nine Shia and two members of Bohra community, in October four people including two Shia, one each Sunni and Ahmadi and in November 24 people including 16 Shia, eight Sunni, one each Deobandi and Ahmadi were targeted and killed on basis sect in the metropolis.
In first five days of current month, 11 people including five activists of Tableegi Jamaat, four Shia and two Sunni were killed by armed men in the city so far. Most of the killings which were carried out on basis of sect were reported from west zone while east zone stood comparatively peaceful regarding sectarian killings.
“Yes there are some bordering areas in the west zone were militants involved in sectarian killings have their hideouts and we have arrested many of them in the past after conducting raids,” West Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Javed Alam Odho said.
“There are large number of interface areas in the west zone as compare to east or west zones which enabled outlawed organisations to settle there,” the DIG said, adding that the militant groups involved in killing of Shias can survive easily in Godhran Camp in New Karachi while those militant groups who are engaged in killing of Sunnis can set up their hideouts in Ancholi easily.
“Besides sectarian militant groups, some terrorists infiltrated in the metropolis from tribal areas during operation and have launched an operation in bordering areas of west zone like Ittehad Town,” the DIG maintained.
“Some groups are trying to sabotage the peace which restored in the mega city to stop ongoing targeted operation,” Karachi Additional Inspector General (AIG) Shahid Hayat said. “It was said that 26 people were killed on basis of sect in the city but it could not be proved as yet that weather they were killed on sectarian basis or they were targeted on other reasons,” he added.
“When some groups realised that they could not stop targeted operation by adopting different tactics then they used tool of sectarian violence but it will also prove fruitless in near future,” he vowed.
“If we look into ratio of killings in the city after start of targeted operation then there is nearly 50 percent decline in killings,” the city police chief claimed, adding that “Over 700 people were killed in June, July and August this year but number of killings decreased to 435 in September, October and November.”
“Like this, there is sharp decline in extortion collection due to on time and effective operation of law enforcers,” AIG Karachi said, adding that “Before start of operation, the Citizen Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) has received 608 complaints of extortion collection during June, July and August but the complaints reduce to 458 in September, October and November.”
“We have started working on complaints and blocked cell phones from where complainants received extortion demands,” he said, adding that “Only 60 complainants out of 458 approached CPLC again after receiving demands of extortion money from different numbers.” “Responding on these 60 complaints, the police launched citywide raids and resolved 50 percent of the complaints,” he claimed.
“The CPLC record further shows that there is sharp decline in street crimes in September, October and November and if we match the number with respective months of last six years then it will be proved that the things are moving in right direction,” he maintained.
“I think that sectarianism does not exist in Karachi but there are some militant groups which are killing each other’s members,” PPP Sindh General Secretary Taj Haider said.
“If you visit any street of the city then you find people of many sects residing together peacefully and there is no division amongst them despite the fact that some militant groups are engaged in fanning sectarianism in the metropolis,” he added.
“During ongoing targeted operation in the city, the law enforcers have arrested some members of such militant groups who during investigation disclosed plans for killing of opponent groups,” he said, adding that “The provincial government is committed to bring book the people involved in fanning sectarianism and law enforcers are carrying out raids at the hideouts of militant groups to save the mega city.”
“After carrying out raids in Quetta, the militants moved to Punjab and Sindh to destabilize provincial capitals Lahore and Karachi,” the parliamentary leader of MQM in Sindh Assembly Khawaja Izhar-ul Hassan said. “As far as sectarianism is concerned, this problem does not exist in this civilised city but some militant groups infiltrated to the metropolis and started their activities here,” he maintained.
“There are some areas that are situated at bordering areas of the city where these militant groups have made their hideouts and launching raids from there,” Hassan said, adding that “After fanning sectarianism in provincial capitals of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhawa, they have now moved to Punjab and Sindh to ignite sectarian violence in every part of the country.”
“Unfortunately, our politicians remain engaged in political number-scoring and do not take sectarianism seriously, but there is still time. Further delay in action against militants can cause irreparable damage,” he warned.
“We think that some foreign hands are involved in fanning sectarianism in the country,” PTI local leader Israr Abbasi observed. “Unfortunately, our leaders avoid naming out those militant groups which are responsible for fanning sectarianism throughout the country, Abbasi said, adding that “If we feel fear to announce name of these militant groups so how we can dare to launch operation against them.”