My article originally published on Frontier Post at: A common man from Karachi
Ali Zaidi
You can’t understand the problem it is not as simple as you think, Police
and Rangers will arrest few of them but they can’t do operation cleanup
in Karachi. This was quoted by a young man who left crimes and started a
new life in a nearby village of Karachi.
I was really enjoying my debate with this man because he had real fact and figures of Karachi’s problem. I want to state his words in his native language, “You have no idea what MQM, Aman Committee and other gangs fight each other for? Tell me brother what do they fight for? “Why is MQM so obsessed with the People’s Aman Committee of Lyari even though they had been in alliance with the PPP in Province as well as Federation for the last five years? They have also been in alliance with the ANP then why do they kill each other in Karachi?”
These questions were raised by him. I was just listening and trying to get the answers. This discussion took place before the elections. “In Karachi there are many constituencies where not even a single MQM supporter lives yet they get many votes from these areas”, he said. “Yes” I said bewildered, “but there are many Non-Urdu speaking natives yet they support MQM. This is also a reality which none of us can deny”. This was my point of view.
“MQM is obsessed with the Aman Committee because previously only one party collected the extortion money but now there are two. And of course nobody wants to share his meal because that’s how it is. Same is the case between ANP and MQM. It is not only the “Parchi System through which extortion money is collected. From your home, shops, offices, business to the mosques, all are paying it.”
I ignored this as an emotional and anti MQM speech. But now top agencies of Pakistan have confirmed that this all is happening in Karachi. I am a PMLN a supporter so I neither support ANP nor any other party. But being a lover of Karachi I should contribute to let the truth come to surface. The areas in which MQM has support are well developed areas. They have water and electricity facilities for 24 hours. They pay 500 to 1000 rupees in the name of development charges. But in return they get many facilities from MQM so they have no problem in paying this.
Every shopkeeper, rickshaw and taxi driver also has to pay on daily or monthly basis but most of them are happy because they are being provided with secure environment in an illegal way. MQM is in government for past 10 plus years. They have their Nazims, MPAs and MNAs in most parts of Karachi. Are they not getting salaries or funds from government to provide these facilities to their supporters?
It’s another dimension that how they get this majority. The same thing has been started by other parties of Karachi. ANP collects “Bhatta” in North Karachi and in Gulistan e Johar sector. They have their existence in Quaidabad and adjoining areas but very few cases have been reported there. This doesn’t mean that ANP is not involved in this menace. Several times they had armed fight with MQM in different areas on this issue. Rabia City, Johar, Orangi town (Katti Pahari) and new Karachi are major affected areas of this war.
Their areas of support are not developed. They have a strong militant wing in Karachi. Most of the drug Mafia working in these areas is under ANP’s control. Hottest issue few days back was Lyari. In Lyari Kitchi and Baloch are two major communities. Lyari is 70% in control of People’s Aman Committee which is now called Karachi City Alliance led by Uzair Baloch.
Aman Committee is definitely involved in extortion collection and kidnapping of traders and their families. In Lyari Kitchi Aman committee is a subsidiary of MQM. They are supported by MQM by all means. There are areas like Naya Abad and Memon Society where no Baloch can enter. And in Chaiywara and other parts of liyari Urdu speaking and Kitchis cannot enter. Few areas of Malir and Landhi are in control of MQM (Haqiqi). They were previously led by Aamir Khan.
Haqiqi is a well-known militant party. I personally never heard any news regarding extortion money collected by Haqiqi but they are certainly involved in target killing and kidnapping for ransome. In few areas they support other parties against MQM like Sindhi Goths near Korangi industrial area.
Above is the little roundup of major parties areas and their role in the problems of Karachi. Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), Sunni Tehreek and Shia religio-political parties also have their militant wings. Although they are not involved in extortion collection yet they also target their companions in the name of religion. On several occasions Sunni Tehreek and SSP fought on the issue of Mosques. But how they collect extortion and if someone refuses to pay what happens to him is also a long story which will be stated later in another post. Each and Every person who lives in Karachi would agree with these facts.
There is a saying that “There are several good protections against evil but the surest is cowardice”. The people of Karachi can understand this line quite well. Karachi is a densely populated city with variety of people living in different areas who have come here from various parts of the country. But the main reason is that Karachi is the only city where you can live with a salary of Rs. 10,000. I used to hear that Muhajirs were treated brutally in the past. That’s why MQM was organized and they started to spread hatred against Punjabis, Sindhis and Pathans.
But frankly speaking they have been in government for fifteen years which were not followed by PPP and PMLN. There would hardly be any problem in Karachi which MQM is not a part of. I just oppose MQM because a little bit of political activity against MQM can risk your life. General Secretary of PMLN Shaheed Tariq Khan was murdered because he was against the land mafias which were occupying a cricket ground near his house. But he was killed and they succeeded in their mission.
Question arises here that why am I giving most of my arguments against MQM? It is only because they own Karachi. Many times you would have listened to their press conferences in which they admit this. There are many MQM leaders who always remain under threat from their own party. Crime story of Karachi cannot be closed in a month. That is because no one trusts the law enforcement agencies.
The police officers who were involved in 92 and 95 operation were targeted and they got serial numbers by newspapers. When they can’t save their own officers, how can they give protection to common man or witnesses of a murder? Those who say that these operations were against MQM must also answer then the question that who killed those Police Officers?
No one can stop extortion collection in Karachi completely but please give protection to lives of people. Law enforcement agencies have lost their trust. People believe that Nawaz Sharif administration can improve the situation. We request the government not to get black-mailed by press conferences and other tactics.
This is a reality that even opponents of PMLN say that PMLN and PTI have no military wings in Karachi as other all parties have. Don’t hesitate in taking any step. But we cannot afford more casualties in Karachi.
It is the thinking of a common Karachiite. Our agencies are very strong. There is not even a single person who can give proofs of killings to police or rangers because he knows he has to live in Karachi. This is a big task for Federal Government. Let’s see how they cope with the matter.
I was really enjoying my debate with this man because he had real fact and figures of Karachi’s problem. I want to state his words in his native language, “You have no idea what MQM, Aman Committee and other gangs fight each other for? Tell me brother what do they fight for? “Why is MQM so obsessed with the People’s Aman Committee of Lyari even though they had been in alliance with the PPP in Province as well as Federation for the last five years? They have also been in alliance with the ANP then why do they kill each other in Karachi?”
These questions were raised by him. I was just listening and trying to get the answers. This discussion took place before the elections. “In Karachi there are many constituencies where not even a single MQM supporter lives yet they get many votes from these areas”, he said. “Yes” I said bewildered, “but there are many Non-Urdu speaking natives yet they support MQM. This is also a reality which none of us can deny”. This was my point of view.
“MQM is obsessed with the Aman Committee because previously only one party collected the extortion money but now there are two. And of course nobody wants to share his meal because that’s how it is. Same is the case between ANP and MQM. It is not only the “Parchi System through which extortion money is collected. From your home, shops, offices, business to the mosques, all are paying it.”
I ignored this as an emotional and anti MQM speech. But now top agencies of Pakistan have confirmed that this all is happening in Karachi. I am a PMLN a supporter so I neither support ANP nor any other party. But being a lover of Karachi I should contribute to let the truth come to surface. The areas in which MQM has support are well developed areas. They have water and electricity facilities for 24 hours. They pay 500 to 1000 rupees in the name of development charges. But in return they get many facilities from MQM so they have no problem in paying this.
Every shopkeeper, rickshaw and taxi driver also has to pay on daily or monthly basis but most of them are happy because they are being provided with secure environment in an illegal way. MQM is in government for past 10 plus years. They have their Nazims, MPAs and MNAs in most parts of Karachi. Are they not getting salaries or funds from government to provide these facilities to their supporters?
It’s another dimension that how they get this majority. The same thing has been started by other parties of Karachi. ANP collects “Bhatta” in North Karachi and in Gulistan e Johar sector. They have their existence in Quaidabad and adjoining areas but very few cases have been reported there. This doesn’t mean that ANP is not involved in this menace. Several times they had armed fight with MQM in different areas on this issue. Rabia City, Johar, Orangi town (Katti Pahari) and new Karachi are major affected areas of this war.
Their areas of support are not developed. They have a strong militant wing in Karachi. Most of the drug Mafia working in these areas is under ANP’s control. Hottest issue few days back was Lyari. In Lyari Kitchi and Baloch are two major communities. Lyari is 70% in control of People’s Aman Committee which is now called Karachi City Alliance led by Uzair Baloch.
Aman Committee is definitely involved in extortion collection and kidnapping of traders and their families. In Lyari Kitchi Aman committee is a subsidiary of MQM. They are supported by MQM by all means. There are areas like Naya Abad and Memon Society where no Baloch can enter. And in Chaiywara and other parts of liyari Urdu speaking and Kitchis cannot enter. Few areas of Malir and Landhi are in control of MQM (Haqiqi). They were previously led by Aamir Khan.
Haqiqi is a well-known militant party. I personally never heard any news regarding extortion money collected by Haqiqi but they are certainly involved in target killing and kidnapping for ransome. In few areas they support other parties against MQM like Sindhi Goths near Korangi industrial area.
Above is the little roundup of major parties areas and their role in the problems of Karachi. Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), Sunni Tehreek and Shia religio-political parties also have their militant wings. Although they are not involved in extortion collection yet they also target their companions in the name of religion. On several occasions Sunni Tehreek and SSP fought on the issue of Mosques. But how they collect extortion and if someone refuses to pay what happens to him is also a long story which will be stated later in another post. Each and Every person who lives in Karachi would agree with these facts.
There is a saying that “There are several good protections against evil but the surest is cowardice”. The people of Karachi can understand this line quite well. Karachi is a densely populated city with variety of people living in different areas who have come here from various parts of the country. But the main reason is that Karachi is the only city where you can live with a salary of Rs. 10,000. I used to hear that Muhajirs were treated brutally in the past. That’s why MQM was organized and they started to spread hatred against Punjabis, Sindhis and Pathans.
But frankly speaking they have been in government for fifteen years which were not followed by PPP and PMLN. There would hardly be any problem in Karachi which MQM is not a part of. I just oppose MQM because a little bit of political activity against MQM can risk your life. General Secretary of PMLN Shaheed Tariq Khan was murdered because he was against the land mafias which were occupying a cricket ground near his house. But he was killed and they succeeded in their mission.
Question arises here that why am I giving most of my arguments against MQM? It is only because they own Karachi. Many times you would have listened to their press conferences in which they admit this. There are many MQM leaders who always remain under threat from their own party. Crime story of Karachi cannot be closed in a month. That is because no one trusts the law enforcement agencies.
The police officers who were involved in 92 and 95 operation were targeted and they got serial numbers by newspapers. When they can’t save their own officers, how can they give protection to common man or witnesses of a murder? Those who say that these operations were against MQM must also answer then the question that who killed those Police Officers?
No one can stop extortion collection in Karachi completely but please give protection to lives of people. Law enforcement agencies have lost their trust. People believe that Nawaz Sharif administration can improve the situation. We request the government not to get black-mailed by press conferences and other tactics.
This is a reality that even opponents of PMLN say that PMLN and PTI have no military wings in Karachi as other all parties have. Don’t hesitate in taking any step. But we cannot afford more casualties in Karachi.
It is the thinking of a common Karachiite. Our agencies are very strong. There is not even a single person who can give proofs of killings to police or rangers because he knows he has to live in Karachi. This is a big task for Federal Government. Let’s see how they cope with the matter.
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