2095 fall prey to targeted killings in Karachi during 2012

January 01, 2013

MUHAMMAD ALI

0 Comments

Religious extremism, ethnic violence, mafia wars and political violence have turned the city of light into city of crimes in 2012 as some 2095 persons fell prey to the targeted killings during the outgoing year. Free movement from one place to another has now become risky for Karachiities, as the city has virtually been divided on the basis of different ethnicities, forcing the Karachiities to remain huddled at their residing places.

Statistics show that targeted killing peaked in September and October, during which 513 persons were killed. Some 95 persons were killed in January, 93 in February, 131 in March, 187 in April, 193 in May, 184 in June, 195 in July, 179 in August, 263 in September, 250 in October, 195 in November and 130 in December.

On June 25, Recorder House, head-office of Daily Business Recorder and Aaj News came under armed attack that left two persons injured. The city had experienced tyrannical tumult on September 21 when protesters during protest against sacrilegious film turned violent that left 20 people, including three policemen, killed and more than 130 injured.

The angry mobs also set ablaze four cinema houses on MA Jinnah Road, six banks, four police mobiles, two armoured personnel carriers, two restaurants and various automobiles in different areas of the city. Sectarian killings also remained very high during the year as several seminary students and religious scholars of different schools of thought were targeted.

On August 18-19, three teachers of Masjid-e-Taqva were targeted at block 19, F.B Area. In same day, four unknown armed riders opened indiscriminate gunshots on a small shack-cum-hotel and left five students of a seminary killed at New Karachi area. Chairman, IRC Trust, Syed Mukhtar Ahmad and his son Syed Muhammad Baqir were killed near Civic Centre on September 5.

On October 23, a trustee of Masjid-e-Ghousia sustained injuries in an armed ambush at Shah Latif area. On November 6, two more people were killed in Bridage police limits on sectarian grounds that sparked violence in certain city areas where all commercial and social activities were suspended.

The most horrible incident was witnessed on November 10 when unknown armed riders sprayed a volley of bullets on the students of Madarsa Ahsan-ul-Uloom when they were sitting at a café 'Quetta Alhamra Hotel' located in block 2 near Rab Medical centre. Resultantly, over a dozen persons sustained bullet injuries. The victims were shifted to nearby private hospital where six students succumbed to their injuries.

On November 13, an Excise officer namely Jamal Raza, 30 son of Ali Raza was targeted near his residence in the limits of Mominabad police station. Three senior workers of Mohajir Qaumi Movement (MQM-A) were killed in Landhi area on November 29. On December 3, Maulana Ismail, who was religious scholar and a teacher of Madarsa-e-Ahsan-ul-Uloom, was hit by multiple gunshots in an armed ambush and died on the spot near Chappel Square on Abul Hassan Isphani road in the limits of Saachal police station. Violence and arson sparked again after attack on the convoy of chief of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jannat (ASWJ) Karachi that left 20 persons killed; six others injured on December 25.