- RIP, Ali Raza Abidi
Ali Raza Abidi’s murder marks the sixth terrorist incident in Karachi in as many weeks, raising questions about the effectiveness of law enforcement agencies as well as concern about the port city returning to its lawless days. There has been a blast in Landhi, which claimed innocent lives, the attack on the Chinese consulate, an attack on a vehicle in District South, the attack on a mehfil e milad in Gulshan e Johar, the attack on PSP workers that killed two and injured two more, and finally the nine or so bullets pumped into ex-MQM leader Abidi just outside his home.
Yet Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah is confident of returning the city to its ‘peaceful and prosperous’ days. Perhaps it helps that one of the two weapons used in Abidi’s murder was, according to forensics, also used in another recent attack in the city’s Liaquatabad area, since it might provide some leads. But, on the other hand, it also exposes the counter terrorism department (CTD) as behind the curve somewhat, unable to follow through on earlier leads even as the crime situation spirals out of control.
All lives are precious, of courses, but Abidi was hardly a run of the mill politician. He brought that unusual combination of education, politeness and finesse to politics, especially in the south. What reason could anybody have for orchestrating such a cold-blooded attack on such a progressive Pakistani, that too in front of his family? Now who is going to follow his example and dare to bring more sense to our politics? Such episodes not only spread panic but, from the point of view of the government, also paralyse the economy. It’s time CM Shah got his security agencies to pull their socks up. As we know only too well, once Karachi slips into violence, it takes quite a lot to restore any semblance of sanity.
