Senators from various political parties mourned on Thursday the victims of the May 12, 2007 Karachi killings, and demanded that the government hold an inquiry and bring the culprits to justice. Members of the two parties who were blamed for the violence that claimed almost 50 lives, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and the erstwhile ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), however kept silent on the issue.
Senator Abdul Rahim Mandokhel was the first one to pay tribute to the fallen of May 12, who he said had sacrificed their lives for the rule of law in the country. Terming it a black day in the country’s history, Mandokhel said unarmed people were targeted on the roads on May 12, 2007 and condemned the fact that no inquiry was conducted to bring the culprits to justice. Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)’s Senator Raza Rabbani saluted the fallen of May 12 and demanded that the Upper House of parliament ask the government to initiate a case against former president Pervez Musharraf under Article 6 of the constitution for breach of the constitution, which, he added, was the most befitting manner to pay tribute to the victims.
Senator Hasil Bazenjo said that the government of the time had imposed a “mini-martial law” in Karachi on May 12, 2007 and added that on Musharraf’s orders innocent people were killed in Karachi. Senator Haji Adeel of the Awami National Party said both civilian and military forces were hell-bent on stopping the dysfunctional chief justice at the time. Saluting the victims, Adeel said the government had been silent on the issue of investigation into the incident and added that those involved in the crime were now talking of democracy and freedom.
Professor Khurshid Ahmad of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) demanded the formation of a strong commission to investigate the incident, and said those involved in the incident were either “sent abroad with a salute” or inducted in the government. Professor Ibrahim Khan, another JI senator, said the chief justice should take suo motu notice of the May 12 incident. He said further that the “killers of May 12 are sitting in Governor’s House”. PPP Senator Safdar Abbasi and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Senator Khalid Soomro also condemned the May 12 incident and demanded the chief justice play his role in holding an inquiry into the incident.
