Karachi Riots: MQM & The Establishment – To Blame

I would like to share with you an analysis shared by a lawyer who claims that MQM deliberately started the fight and then took the battle onto the streets if Karachi

So far as I have been able to ascertain, the turmoil started around 12.00 in the Karachi Bar Association when a group of lawyers belonging to the Legal Aid Committee (an MQM-backed organisation comprising lawyers working in the CDGK, KESC and other state owned organisations) accompanied by a number of non-lawyers marched into the general body meeting of the Karachi Bar chanting slogans in favour of Musharraf and condemning the Sher Afgan incident. At this point, the lawyers of the Legal Aid Committee claimed that one of their number had been assaulted and injured by some other lawyers and chaos erupted.

Within minutes, the City Courts were cordoned off by hundreds of MQM activists who started firing at lawyers and setting fire to their vehicles. Around this time, news started coming in that the Malir Bar Association building had been burned. Then they started attacking the buildings around the City Courts (which are predominantly occupied by lawyers chambers) and set fire to them. It was clearly a pre-planned action. Lawyers’ offices and residences as far afield as Zamzama, PECHS and Gulistan-e-Jauhar were attacked.

We fear that at least 5 lawyers have been burned alive in Tahir Plaza including Altaf Abbasi, Firdous Ali and Shehryar, although there are no confirmations as yet. Our efforts to collect concrete information about deaths and injuries have been hampered by the fact that most of the office-bearers of the KBA went into hiding after former President Ifikhar Kazi’s office was fired upon and present General Secretary Naeem Qureshi’s apartment was set on fire

This meticulously planned campaign of death and destruction lends strength to our belief that the Sher Afgan incident in Lahore was orchestrated by Musharraf’s allies/agencies to discredit and subsequently crush the lawyers’ movement. Ofcourse, it has the dual advantage of blackmailing the PPP into bending backwards to accommodate MQM in their government. We hope that PPP shall resist this blackmail.

Unfortunately, the media’s role in chronicling this repeat carnage has been deeply disappointing. Some channels reported this tragedy as arising out of a fight between lawyers and even suggesting that it was unclear whether it was those lawyers or some other unidentified persons who set the buildings on fire! Others played up some sort of moral equivalence or causal relationship between the Sher Afgan/Ghulam Arbab incident and the Karachi carnage. While one could expect this kind of garbage from MQM’s militant wing, it is shocking to see TV journalists/anchors buying into this perverted viewpoint. On the one hand you have a few slaps and slippers to a couple of ex-ministers (leaving aside, for the time being, who was or was not responsible) and on the other you have 12 dead people (5 burned alive) and dozens of cars and buses set aflame. To even mention the two extremes in the same sentence (much less comparing the two and giving them equal coverage) is just shameful.

MQM’s repetition of their 12th May massacre must be chronicled in detail. We need to start this process immediately. There are two main sets of easily identifiable eyewitnesses: lawyers and reporters. Maybe we can form two teams that will focus on each group seperately.

Rgds
S


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23 responses to “Karachi Riots: MQM & The Establishment – To Blame”

  1. M Junaid Khan Avatar

    A truly deplorable incident and i am sure such things can only be expected from terrorist organization MQM. MQM should be immediately banned and included in global terrorist organization. We all know about their activities and the way they collect ransom from the people of Karachi, who constantly live under the fear of this terrorist organization.
    I also wonder from where Mr. Altaf Hussain gets his funds to finance his luxurious life in Karachi? Can he or anyone else from MQM inform us with the facts that how much he spend annually and how he earned it, keeping in mind the background from which he belongs. I strongly call on all the organizations and parties to exclude MQM from the coalition, as rightly mentioned by PML-N and labeled as terrorist organization, a rightful place for such a group.

  2. nazia Avatar
    nazia

    MQM is a green card of ruling mafia.That is why in recent elections whole country had shown the trend of anti mussharf attitiude but only karachi is showing contrary to that trend.The interesting thing is there that here, that party is winner which leaders are not opting to come back to Pakistan even having a strong relation with generals.So This card will always be played when army mafia or ruling group feel uncomfortable in govt making.MQM is very high demanding group.If their demands are not met ,In an hour they would black the walls of karachi with abusive language or would make red the streets of karachi with human blood.That is what happeneing there for last 15 years there,lets see how long it will continue.

  3. Unaiza Fatima Avatar
    Unaiza Fatima

    “This meticulously planned campaign of death and destruction lends strength to our belief that the Sher Afgan incident in Lahore was orchestrated by Musharraf’s allies/agencies to discredit and subsequently crush the lawyers’ movement.”

    What the hell were the lawyers doing outside the hotel, in the first place?? Even if some government agents did the thrashing, real lawyers were also there beforehand to charge on the ex-ministers…weren’t they?

    These lawyers have taken their movements all the way to ghunda-gardi. They rightly deserve to be handled by the law enforcing agencies and beaten to pulp. They know no respect, and so deserve none.

  4. kg Avatar
    kg

    Hey Teetho,

    Whats your take on this?

    http://www.dawn.com/2008/04/10/top2.htm

    Mountain fighters not terrorists, says Raisani

    By Amanullah Kasi

    QUETTA, April 9: Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani has said that dialogue with militants is necessary for restoring peace.

    Addressing the provincial assembly after taking a vote of confidence on Wednesday, he rejected a perception that people fighting in the mountains were terrorists or saboteurs.

    He said that people would invest in the province and government officials would perform their duty without any fear if peace prevailed and national assets were protected.

    He said the political movements of the Baloch people, Pukhtuns or Sindhis could not be suppressed by force. “The fighters in the mountains are our brothers and they have taken up weapons for the rights of the people,” he said.

    “If Gwadar is a gateway for Central Asian states then it also is a mega problem for the Baloch because settlement of outsiders will deprive the natives of their right to sit in this house. The settlement of outsiders will be conditional and they will have no right to vote or contest elections,” he said.

  5. noj Avatar
    noj

    @unazia

    Yes , right these lawyers no respect i.e. why 5 of them were burnt alive by mqm yesterday

  6. wildanjel Avatar
    wildanjel

    Criticising MQM again, good job doctor as you do it perfectly. You are genius in doing that.

  7. Yossri Avatar
    Yossri

    On April 9, the media’s spotlight was meant to be on the oath taking of Punjab assembly. On 8 April, instead of refering to election of PPP’s speaker in Sind,
    the topic was disorder in the newly elected house. This week the legal fraternity and Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry should have been in focus counting down to get to their cherished aim. But just like 12 May 2007, the process of judiciary’s restoration has been undermined and detoured. There are shadowy forces who aim to deny the democratic forces embark on empowering the judiciary at any cost.

  8. zakoota Avatar
    zakoota

    100% MQM mafia behind this incident and every terrorist activity in Karachi. What a shame for Musharaf and his pet dogs in the name of MQM!
    Kutay ki aulad Altaf Hussain and his mafia should be publicly punished.

  9. JinnahFan Avatar

    MQM is, without doubt, a terrorist organization. I wonder why they are not shown in the same light as Al-Qaeda…why is it that foreign governments actually send their ambassadors to meet them?

    ALSO, I’ve been asking this from everyone for around 3 months now: WHAT HAPPENED TO IMRAN KHAN’s case against ALTAF HUSSAIN?

    A lot of us had very high hopes that some action would be taken, but we have heard NOTHING since last year.

  10. M@ni Avatar
    M@ni

    @Unaiza Fatima
    For God sake have u ever before heard in one and a half year lawyers have broken a single car, burnt any building, hurt any one.. [Tariq azeem beaten up by journalists]..come on pplz.. Cant you see any one standing for their rights.. we citizen are really pathetic who are ready to digest what happened on 3rd November.. Sad..really sad

  11. Raza Avatar

    @JinnahFan
    I have been wanting to know the very same thing. It seems to have faded into oblivion. I remember Imran Khan being asked this question on some TV show a couple of months back, and I believe he said his case wasn’t going as planned owing to some hindrances. Never heard of the case ever since.

  12. Junaid Avatar
    Junaid

    remember the Hannibal of Carthage, when he failed to do decisive blow to rome after slaughtering their armies what happened to him, slowly and gradually Rome rose and ended him.
    atleast i see similar fate for zardari soon if he continues to behave like this… he has to choose either people or vice..

  13. Jawan Avatar
    Jawan

    Assalam-o-Alaikum

    Having read all sorts of comments, I want to add why have you forgotton that your religion has the answers for you till the Day of Judgment? Why are we so ignorant about the unversality of Islam?

    Now I have a suggestion to make. Let us pray to Allah SWT in which I suppose we all believe. OK!And mind you this was the way adopted by our beloved Last Messenger of Allah, Hazrat Muhammad (SAW)in situations like this when both sides cling to their stands and there was no way out.

    "O Allah! O The Bestower of Great Mercy! O The Cherisher and Sustainer of the world! O! Ruler of Heavens and the earth! O! Knowledgable and Wise, O Allah To Whom returns all the matters for disposal, O! The Owner of Great Bounty, O! The Best of Planners! O Allah! To You surrender every living creature with obedience, O! Allah! In front of Whom whole mankind will be standing for their reward on The Day of Judgment

    We are surrounded by situation that we even afetr applying all our wisdom, common sense and knowledge, fail to understand who is responsible for the burning alive of people on Apr 10, 2008. We tried honestly to find the culprit but due to our limited knowledge about the parties and people operating in Sind, we cannot be sure about the culprits.

    O Allah! You have the Knowledge of The seen and Un seen. You also Know the secrets of the hearts of your slaves. May Your Curse be on those who are responsible for burning alive of human beings on Apr 10, 2008. May these mujrimoon suffer Your Torment in this world as well as in the Hearafter.

    O Allah! The Most Gracious! Please Make accountable those Who were responsible for the killing of people last year on 12 Reabi Ul Awwal.

    O Our Lord! Please expose and punish those responsible for the killings of innocent people on May 12, 2007.

    May Allah SWT Punish those who are responsible for the crime of Oct 18, 2007. O Allah Take revenge of the innocent people who lost their lives on this dreadfull day, Ameen.

    O! Allah all those worker of MQM killed at the hands of security forces in the past, if they were really criminal, please forgive them. If they were innocent, then those in Govt. then be punished by You O Allah so that people should know what is the truth.

    O Allah poor Muslims of Pakistan are praying with all the sincerety of their hearts to Your Lordship. Listen O Always Listener and Attnetive to the calls of Yopur Slaves. Ameen

    May Your Curse be on all above culprits and their suppoerters (if they have knowledge that the party to whom they support is capable of such crimes).

    Ameen Ya Rabbal Aalameen

  14. Omar Avatar
    Omar

    Hi everyone…
    this is the first time i’m writing to a blog…it feels good when you can share your views openly…i condemn all the evil politicians except for Imran Khan…i have high hopes that maybe just maybe he’ll make it in as PM next election inshallah…

    Good luck and God Bless!

  15. MisterDoc Avatar
    MisterDoc

    ASAK I will be short, wont take much time,

    Plz be peaceful , support the new Police Squad gifted by the newly elected Govt. Give them any INFO. or INTEL. report and bring peace to khi.

    I promise u that in short time period we can bring long term and never lasting peace to Pak, specially to KHI.

    Take Care

    My friends in KHI will frowrd me ur message , be open and write to me. Peace Awaits u all. I’ll be soon in KHI.

    Stop and Kill MQM, send a collective report to FIA and Forward it to Interpol, dont let them run to Dubai, London, Switzerland.

  16. ahsan waseem khan Avatar
    ahsan waseem khan

    All the people who want to grab karachi as a golden temple are against MQM which is representing now not only the urduspeakers but most of the sindhis and other communities have joined MQM in recent years in the above written talks most of the people abused and went out their own spleen on MQM it is too easy to point out at someone the same circumstances took place in lahore and multan too but you people put a mum at your mouths at that time in n,w,f,p the provincial govt has their own army in the province who doesnt allow the visitors specially from karachi to enter those areas why yes how they can do so when they are producing drugs and weapons their isnt it,if MQM is a fascist so are the 80% people of karachi.MQM people dont run any where and they dont need to YOUY must remember the COWARD TIGER begged to MUSHARRAF SAHAB to forgive him and deport to saudia arabia and the same is the case woth imrankhan once i heard a story of a mouse the mouse was strolling in the jungle very happily fox came and asked the mouse why are you so happy today the mouse said the LION has been killed and i was also arrested in that case hahahahahaha imran khan prime minister noway naseerullah baber killed 15000 workers of MQM but imrankhan is 10steps ahead of him in hating the urduspeakers when he ruined the careers of salimmalik,basitali,javedmiandad,rashidlatif and many others just beacause they were lovers of MQM,just stop this dwell playing and think logically

  17. Jawan Avatar
    Jawan

    Poor waseem!
    You feel comfortable calling public leaders like Nawaz sharif and Imran as cowards. What about your own leader criminal Altaf? He started fooling people like you in the name of “Muhajir” nationality. Look at the fraud now he is himself a British national. We have not forgotten how proudly he was photographed proudly exhibiting his British passport. He knows his list of crimes and thats the reason despite all the power MQM enjoyed in Pakistan both at provincial level as well as National level, with his godfather the dictator musharraf in absolute authority in Pakistan, he dared not enter Pakistan. Can you give the nation or the muhajir nation any excuse why your “brave” leader cannot enter Pakistan?You do not have right to call any leader coward till the time your own leader is sitting like a lame duck in UK and enjoying life from the bhattas dispatched regulerly by the MQM terrorists collectedd from the same muhajirs he claims to lad.
    By the way even European Union seems to be biased against MQM when they have pointed out in their report that MQM won the election on gun point?
    Poor fools held on gun point by their so called leaders. Even listening on media to the top leadership of MQM like Haider Rizvi (imported from USA), Waseem Akhter, Khushbakht ( joined MQM to save her school from MQM goondas), Baber Ghouri and last but not the least Salim Shahzad reflects upon the standard of intellect the MQM holds under its wings lead by Altaf the terrorist himself.
    By the way has he resigned or still heading MQM. Whats the latest on the issue?

  18. Nasir Jamal Avatar

    What makes you people so sure that MQM is involved in it? Why would MQM destroy the peace of Karachi? Would someone please explain?

  19. saji Avatar
    saji

    qazi aur imran is mulk mai burai ki jar hain. qazi ko imran kay aids zada lore par latka kar phansee day do, sab theek ho jai ga. phansee regal chowk par ho kion kay har koi yeh dekhna chahta hai. qazi ka mazi londay baze, imran ka mazi randi bazi.

  20. Babar Avatar

    Comments: MQM is the largest Party of Sindh and Mohtaram Altaf Hussain Bhai only Grate Leader of Pakistan. from Babar Jamal

  21. mansoor ali Avatar
    mansoor ali

    assalam-o-alykum
    saji bhai ap kay comment parh kar buhat afsoos huaaa kay hammaray mashray me es trha kay fard bhi mujod hain kay un ko apni burai nazar nahi aati. ab ap hi batain kay ap kay saath koi baat bhi kar sakta hay to kiss traha karay

  22. Zohaib Avatar
    Zohaib

    Hey Blind Doc! Better see an ophthalmologist or some psychiatrist… Why aren't you able to see the ANP terrorists (even sexually) harassing innocent women and killing guiltless children? Why aren't you able to see PPP gangsters controlling 90% of the Land Mafia in Karachi? Why aren't you able to describe the notorious mass-corruption and degeneracy acts by Nawaz Sharif, Asif Zardari, Benazir Bhutto, Zulfikhar Ali Bhutto, Zia-ul-Haq and so on…? Why aren't you able to account the "actus reus" of our Army Generals, Police Chiefs, and bureaucrats? Why aren't you able to delineate the "chronic" suppression across our 70% land where 160 million people are forced to live like- say- "insects"- these freakin' dirty Feudal Lordships?

    Answer me…. "Maestro"! It seems you don't have "wisdom teeth"!!!

    Why MQM alone?

    (P.S. Just to remind you the ethics of blogging; did no personal attack. Approve!)

  23. Khadim Avatar
    Khadim

    @ Zohaib: Wow… Now we've got one mqm supporter who can blow Teeth Maestro away….. Let's celebrate 😀