May 12, 2007 – In remembrance

Pakistan stood stunned almost a year back on May 12th 2007 when the city of Karachi was held hostage in the hands of terrorists who went on a killing spree. The culprits were caught on tape and much was said about bringing these culprits to justice, but unfortunately nothing has come out, despite our repeated pleas for justice. Quite honestly how can any society, even imagine to dream about economic prosperity, when simple justice cannot prevail, there was ample video evidence to easily bring at least a few perpetrators behind bars, but unluckily they “knew the right people in the right places” to walk away scott-free as if no crime had ever occurred.

Dejected and helpless at the sad state of affairs surrounding our country, I simply share a few relevant posts made a year back. Read the anger and try to feel the frustration that besieged the citizens of Karachi that fateful day. Then take a moment and pray to God that Pakistan quickly comes out of the hands these ruthless above-the-law politicians and bring this country back to prosperity.

I must admit in the past few months the only shinning light I saw was through the resurrection of a strong and independent Judiciary, a dream which continues to evaporate into thin air. Innocent me, I dreamt of seeing Pakistan an embodiment of a fair and just society, where no body, not even me, is above the law and all are treated equally and with respect at least living in an Islamic state governed by the principles of the Quran and Sunnah, this should not be a dream, but an easy reality. Then why is it too hard for us to even live up to our name of ‘Islamic’ Republic of Pakistan. We might as well just become The Republic of Pakistan


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16 responses to “May 12, 2007 – In remembrance”

  1. Azaadee Avatar
    Azaadee

    Awab

    …I dreamt of seeing Pakistan an embodiment of a fair and just society, where no body, not even me, is above the law ….

    May Allah fullfil this dream and may Allah make Pakistan a fair and just society.

    Don’t give up your dream, infact we all share this dream.

    What a shame!! Those same people who were boasting to restore judiciary before elections have become blind to the just demand of people of Pakistan.

    Restore the Judiciary, NOW!!!

    Lets not quit dreaming of a FAIR and POWERFUL Judiciary.

  2. dr razahaider Avatar
    dr razahaider

    Karachi is a metropolitan city with approximate population about 16 million .being head of business hub it enjoys all sights and seems of diversity from different peasant belonging to different ethnic horizon. Similarly due to its large number of different horizon based population there are number of political forces active as opponent on ethnic as well as political, and sectarian back ground. However, traditionally much is seen in political contest when we calculate the share of these political rivals in keeping and exploiting the environment.

    Area based massacre, to mob insurgency has always been the traditional attitude, when we genuinely look in to the detailed scrutiny.

    Being a city with active participation in political scenario this city has to bear multiple episodes of anarchical calamities, of and on some times in the name of sectarian whereas there are multiple instances on ethnic and political affiliation based ,in almost every new month of each year .

    This weakness perhaps because of its political mapping is always in under consideration by these political goons all over the countries, who normally focus Karachi for their merciless activity, sabotaging its peace and then reverting back to their cities condemning a ethnic based political force, for all upcoming.

    Similar episode of unpleasant environment was observed last year as the writer has indicated.

    Although the threat that could become the fate of this city was perceived by the serving functionaries of that time, but some insane mongers, shattered the say of state and deliberately induced a well planned massacre so to engage the same political force in to the responsibility. This point can be supported by the writer assessment as well.

    “The deposed chief justice of Pakistan, Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry was to address the SCBA in Karachi but it was not allowed by the state & city government of Karachi”.

    “The city government had shown alertness a night before as it had blocked all the major routes going to the Quaid-e-Azam international airport”.

    Although it was expected that some untoward hidden hands were ready to maliciously involve this city and its people in another reservation of conspiracy but few beneficiaries matched the situation and enjoyed what was the intention.

    On 12th may there were numbers of political forces who were showing their power as road show ,the chief flag bearers were ANP,PPP,TI ,JAMT-E-ISLAMI, on one hand whereas MQM,on the other .
    This is a tradition here in our country to display the force by arms and ammunition, and none of the political force can be tagged that they were weapon free.

    For this I don’t need to give evidence and there are hundred of footage available on net and media that may show that it was a state of anarchical situation ,with responsibility to be shared by all political forces on the road that day ,and only MQM can not be criticized .however .like all time theses all time rivals again targeted the said political force on the issue victimizing and claiming that they were pious whereas Karachi based force is a culprit .in my opinion ,this attitude has been seen by Karachi and karachite ,(NOT ONLY MOHAJIRS) multiple time and no one having roots and political stance in the form of force can claim to be decent .under such motivated targeting ,this attitude of the writer is a bias, malicious ,and malafide ,and well mannered targeting against single party ,hiding and distorting the ground realities .

  3. JinnahFan Avatar

    Awab,

    I disagree with you on a lot of issues; but certainly not this one. MQM is clearly and often by its own admission, a ruthless, secular, terrorist organization.

    It’s common knowledge to every Pakistani what level of violence MQM is engaged in; yes, our other parties are pretty bad themselves, but at least they are thieves, not cold-blooded killers (most of them). I think there should be a serious website that lists and clearly CITES from unbiased sources a comprehensive time-line of MQM’s brutalities, with pictures, video, and other evidence. I think the Internet is a very good vehicle for doing this anonymously–because we know what Aaj news did is as far as a news organization will be willing to go (and I don’t blame Aaj).

    Secondly, I was really HOPEFUL last year when Imran Khan had started talking about filing a lawsuit against Altaf Hussain; but we have heard NOTHING from PTI on that in a LONG TIME! What’s the current status?

  4. Dr RazaHaider Avatar
    Dr RazaHaider

    DR AWAB
    Dear Awab,let me say its my honor or perhaps one of life time credit in the vocabulary of achievement, to have you on the table of discussion with different opinion oriented methodology regarding an issue that is and was, since the day it occurred ,remained the matter of criticism ,for many ,infact every existing thoughts in the shape and format of diversified ethnic origin, less ,person belonging to Karachi ,typically known as mohajir.

    Sir, as regard to you disagreement with me, regarding multiple issue, I owe your reservation with oblige and consider it your prerogative as in my opinion it is this difference of opinion that opens horizon of thoughts and transformed the sphere of thoughts in to extended perceptions and conclusion.

    You see Awab; discussion on the table of criticism should never give an impression of motive or personal reservation behind the theme.

    The idea of such discussion is to highlights the factors and its causes, on the available platform of facts, figure sand ground circumstantial evidence based opinion, and vest the power of decision in the hands of the reader so to get their version of thoughts and say, whereas leaving the subject, to get some new version and opinion, thus interpreting as final comments in conclusive manner, embarking and disembarking the desired motive or thoughts.

    If I conclude my above self made methodology of opinion ,in the light of your comments regarding the event and your perception regarding subject political /ethnic force ,there is no way that I can safely manage to get you away as non bias commentator.

    “MQM is clearly and often by its own admission…………..
    Its common knowledge to every Pakistani……………..
    Other parties are pretty bad themselves…………….
    At least they are thieves, not cold-blooded killers (most of them………….)
    Aaj news did is………………
    Imran Khan had started talking about filing a lawsuit against Altaf Hussain……………”

    Please go through your above subject paras.

    Awab it’s all about how one, perceive and interpret things.

    Perceptions and feel has a very little line of demarcation, and most of the times used inadvertently and interchangeably as synonymous. Up to the point of definition and synonymous arteriation in a vocabulary of books, terminology does not create mess but if we get out of definition and implement the terms on factual ground realities, there seems to be a mass difference.

    This is the root cause of deranged directions of thinking mechanics.

    We feel things through our innate abilities that have been destined by virtue of our god gifted natural tendencies in the shape and format of nature, as smell, taste, sight and scene, hearing, and touch.
    These are the modes by which we appreciate the end result or resultant in the form of good, bad, stink, and etc.

    However perception is an integrated phenomenon.
    It’s the cumulative effect of feel and associated paraphernalia with element of interpretation. If I observe state in the light of perception my feelings would be different, as compared to a person who observes state by his feel, as closed observation would relate element of emotion with in the domain of definition.

    Decisions of states are always authoritative and demands implementation.

    State has the in born element of administration and administrative methodology is based on rule regulations, enforcement and restrictions, long term impact, fear, obligations based criteria and many such elements that may create a traditional attitude to follow.

    Any trespassing with loose command and unstable and weak implementation, challenges the writ, and this becomes the turning point.

    Relief being granted in lieu by nation is always considered as the placebo treatment.

    It is the same realization that is implemented in the form and format of writ of the state and constitution.
    Such attitude of the state is neither on behalf of any foreign agenda nor a personnel conflict.

    Decision makers and ordinary man desire, should always be perceived in the light of expertise and requirement, availabilities of facts, figures, opinion oriented systemized observations and experience considering and fore casting the overall issue whether international, or national and local and of course after effects.
    This is a horizon based methodology where ordinary men can only share by desire and requirement.

    Dictations are not acceptable at the platform and domain of governance.

    What is being said, decided, seen and moved it has to be followed by all.

    The threat of afore mentioned scene was felt by the government as well as subjects leaders of lawyer committee and every political party involve in the scene that day, as well as people residing in Karachi .
    It was crystal clear, like you said yourself that “Its common knowledge to every Pakistani……………..”,to every one residing in Karachi that same event of unwanted episode may be initiated ,but subject leaders without realizing the thrust resisted to express their power on roads and to the state .

    I think it’s very discourteous on your side to tag MQM as ruthless secular and terrorist, whereas the other rivals as in your version, “our other parties are pretty bad themselves, but at least they are thieves, not cold-blooded killers (most of them)”.

    What’s the point of owning other parties as OUR party and MQM as some one, perhaps foreigner?

    Please justify your intimated, full of gesture comment to tag others party as pretty bad party, thieves and not cold blooded killer, and MQM as omen of Brutality.

    Reflection of your paras can only assimilated by a person who has bias opinion against community based organization, rest it’s highly unacceptable.

    It’s not like that you will float your ideas and people will own it as you are Dr Awab.

    On the portfolio of opinion based thoughts, the theme is to liquidate what are the reality and the hidden facts.

    Restricted linear thinking curtails the direction of vision and person can not be taken as credible and visionary, acceptable to all sights and scenes in the diversified contest of nation. Being a writer or commentator ,horizon of thoughts need to be extended so to get involve in community based concepts ,so that people may own the remarks and place writer as blue eyed individual ,however criticism ,has to be brunt in any case .

    Whereas reverting to your opinion regarding AAJ news and Mr. Imran Khan, I consider it worthless as evidence or opinion, so to tag any political force, on the platform of crime.

    Media based expression are based on dodging of eye movement and motivated angles of float.

    Footage shows crime scenes, it does not show reasons of occurrence.

    Media may show someone killing some one.

    It may support to isolate the killer, but motive of killing is perceived in the light of evidences in the court of law and this is the basic of inquiry.

    As to your inquisition regarding ,Imran khan as and under the umbrella of your comments “I was really HOPEFUL last year when Imran Khan had started talking about filing a lawsuit against Altaf Hussain; but we have heard NOTHING from PTI on that in a LONG TIME! What’s the current status?” it is submitted that ideal is to go and inquire Mr. Khan about his bionic grudge and its failure.

    It will be too primitive and again a bias motive and attitude to tag his failure with the motive to put this shit also on the platform of Mr. Altaf hussain and its party.

    Dear real discovery passes through many stages and assumption is perhaps out of the domain of discovery as assumption is an uninterpreted idea.

    Once again you got to bring the discussion in the light of ground realities and available facts.

    Dear Awab, I am not at all a flag holder or office bearer of subject political cum ethnic party, neither in infatuation with Mr. Altaf Hussain.

    My point is victimizing a political force based on community based reservation, is infact in my opinion, a motivated targeting so to disassemble the thoughts of major with reference to minor and such motives can not be taken lightly.

    MQM is a political force formed in lieu of the long term continuous, maneuvering of establishment, with the objective and motive based ideology targeting through slow, steady flow of restriction based methodology ,so to overcome and deprived ,a minority ,from the sight and scenes of every available platform ,so to assemble in a category based selection criteria ,as all time back benchers in the run from education to employment .

    It’s the force being fed by the idea and thoughts of people to retaliate, the motive and to safeguard what has been desired as destiny by unprecedented deliberate application.

    Tagging and segregating the thinking process as separatist does not qualify and will curtail discussion in a bias mode towards undisclosed facts.

    It’s a separate chapter of discussion with different poems and verses.
    Regard.

  5. Shabbar Avatar
    Shabbar

    The World suffers a lot not because of the Violance of bad People,
    But because of the Sielence of Good People.

  6. Tahseen Alam Khan Avatar
    Tahseen Alam Khan

    The World suffers a lot not because of the Violance of bad People,
    But because of the Sielence of Good People.

  7. Tahseen Alam Khan Avatar
    Tahseen Alam Khan

    We the Public of Pakistan do not exist in the books of rulers they are just making fun of us every day by their gestures. Enough is Enough we can not bear any more we hope that there is not another 12th May in our lives. Pakistan has suffered a lot and rulers have made their fortune out of this poor country now they should have a heart for this poor country and it inhabitants. 9th March,12th May, 18th October and 27th December are darkest days of our time may Allah Save us from the miseries Amin.

  8. AMMAR Avatar
    AMMAR

    Awab, I appreciate your high profile dream of seeing Pakistan an embodiment of a fair and just society, where no body, not even me, is above the law and all are treated equally and with respect at least living in an Islamic state governed by the principles of the Quran and Sunnah, this should not be a dream, but an easy reality. This was the same dream which Quaid-e-Azam saw for Pakistan but what heppended then. Half of the Pakistan was lost and half is running on social injustice, lawlessness, disparties among various sections of the population and class system plus the jagerdari system.
    We need to see bring justice in our society, not by the deposed or existing judges but by ourselves. We should come out of the bias and hatred about other pakistani nationalities. When 12th May happened last year (every one condemn it)you opened all your showers to give a bath of allegations to MQM but have never thought of looking the facts. Was that only MQM’s responsibility. Eevery one knows that your father is the General secretary of Tehreek-i-Insaf but this must not influence you. You should have neutral approach. its not binding for any one that he has to do what his father is doing and neither Islam holds a son responsible for his father and the otherway.
    You are mature and educated Awab and you have to see and write what the reality is and not just what your father or his party wants. Over a period of time you have developed the repo of being a bias person which you have to wash from your blog and show some facts.

  9. Claude Avatar

    Mr Ammar,

    This is not just about what Tehreek-i-Insaf wants. See the communique issued by the International Federation of Journalists, IFJ Outraged by Aaj TV Station Siege in Karachi on May 15, 2007, for instance. And is Mansoor at Metroblogging Karachi member of Tehreek-i-Insaf? I don’t know, but his The day Karachi showed what it’s made of post on May 13, 2007, didn’t seem partisan to me, nor did the 126 comments to it. See also the PPP’s May 25, 2007, PPP flays MQM’s slander campaign communique (even though, back then, Ms Bhutto was already more than just flirting with the idea of an alliance with Musharraf): “…”It is natural for the MQM to get desperate since this is the first time its violent ways were noted by the millions of viewers across the world who witnessed how the gun-totting goons of the party went rampant, playing with the lives of the innocent citizens.” Raja Parvez commented that in today’s age of television broadcast, it is almost impossible to hide the truth. “The MQM would be making a fool of itself if it tried to blame it on other parties, since the whole world witnessed its actions live on TV that day.”… “

  10. JinnahFan Avatar

    @Dr RazaHaider

    I find your reply utterly laughable; it is myself and not Awab whose words you quoted in your horribly composed nonsensical rant.

  11. Tahseen Alam Khan Avatar
    Tahseen Alam Khan

    MQM is above Pakistan, Law and Constitution therfore we might be in trouble if we talk about them. They have done nothing wrong ever. They are very pious people.

  12. Dr RazaHaider Avatar
    Dr RazaHaider

    ok ay ,sorry dear AWAb,please forgive and now onward it should be read with reference to jinnah fan.

  13. AMMAR Avatar
    AMMAR

    @Claude
    Just an eye opener that who was actually involved in 12th May, the video will tell you. I am sorry in advance if you will not sleep for few nights after seeing it, but this is the fact.
    http://youtube.com/watch?v=7HhRa8HFnPM
    What was his convication, only that he belong to the community living in Karachi. How brutually that guy was killed.

  14. Dr RazaHaider Avatar
    Dr RazaHaider

    Ammar they are deaf and dumb,they wont listen neither admit,as it is not a rivalry against a political force but its an attitude of unacceptance of power of a community .mind you as long as this racial thinking will prevail,subject party will excel,as its a transformation of depressed community in to a political force.

  15. AMMAR Avatar
    AMMAR

    This is what Mansoor Said Claude
    ———————————————-
    The day karachi showed what its made of
    By mansoor May 13th, 2007 @ 12:07 AM Local News
    —————————————————-
    All through the day, i was glued to the TV screen, trying to make sense of what was going on. One thing was sure, it was not going to be pretty.

    And so, i was not prepared for how it ended, and i have to say, never have i been prouder of being a karachiite than today. Today, Karachi stood up and showed to the country that it cannot be manipulated by hijacked political manuevers. The city stood up against threat to its peace, its stability and its well being. Everybody has different views on how the events played out, with the ‘mob mentality’ against MQM being the strongest of the opinions, yet this is not how i see it.

    Today had all the trappings of being a disaster. In a city of 15 million people, with over 6 hours of firing in over 10 areas of the city, only 20 people lost their lives. Dont get me wrong, i do not condone the loss of any life, especially at the hands of violence, but you have to take things into perspective. Such a city-wide terror scheme could’ve taken the lives of hundreds of people today, yet the death toll was limited.

    Think about it, a single shooter in a single university campus of Virginia Tech, USA managed to take out more people in a couple of hours than the ‘hundreds’ of mobsters out there in the city today.

    The MQM is being blamed since the event started, i say give me proof that the killers were MQM. Find out who they were and then blame the party. Just because they were involved in such activities in the past does not give anyone free reign in blaming them for every shooting incident in the city. There are a lot of other ‘elements’ in the city which can accused but i dont see anyone even thinking about them. Many of the people killed belonged to Sunni Tehreek, PML(Q) and the PPP as well as MQM itself. Howcome it was only the MQM who was blamed? The MQM rally itself was as peaceful as a rally could get. Thousands of people were gathered at their rally and the procession was taken out on MA Jinnah Road, how many shooting incidents occurred there or around it?

    The fact that police and rangers were not present at the scene was an extremely good strategic decision, otherwise the scenario right now would’ve been really different. It would’ve turned out to be a clash between the mob and the authorities and the death toll would’ve gone up drastically. A member of the govt. very rightly pointed out that even a law enforcement officers bullet can kill a person if done in response. Also, the peoples reaction gets really changed when they see men in police uniforms, and violence is usually the outcome of such a scenario.

    As for the matter of the Chief Justice, the cause which today was hijacked by whoever wanted to turn my city into a battle ground was sent back. It was his visit here, which heightened the sensitiveness of the day, which was the root cause of today’s happenings. Take a look at how many other rallies have been taken out recently by MQM which were peaceful and you cannot just get up and blame MQM for this.

    And lastly, if anyone who watched TV today would have seen, where were the leaders of the other political parties when everything was going to hell? The only people i saw on TV today were the MQM leaders, whether they be city govt. officials, provincial ministers and any other person in a position of power. They were on the roads today at the rally, amid bullets flying all over the city. This is a true test of leaders people! These are the people, who get out in the midst of the trouble and give sense to it all and lead their people. Today, i was impressed by the leadership of MQM, and today i truly understand why they own the city!

  16. dr_jawwad71 Avatar

    nice bhashan dr HAIDER RAZA.
    but one should not forget that no articulate philosophy can justify the injustices.