Karachi’s killing fields
The various kinds of violence that confront Karachi form a puzzle that seems to be becoming increasingly difficult to understand, let alone unravel or solve. The situation is further complicated because the precise contours of the violence keep changing. Sometimes, it assumes sectarian dimensions, while at other times it takes on an ethnic or social shape. This multi-dimensional picture makes matters very difficult to comprehend and even more difficult to tackle with any degree of lasting success. Certainly, so far, the authorities have failed in all endeavours to either identify or resolve the source of this violence and mayhem.
However, the latest episode of blood-letting to shatter Karachi was relatively easier to comprehend since it was quite evidently political in nature. The Awami Tehrik, which faced the brunt of the attack in which at least 12 people died and another 35 were injured, had been staging a rally to protest recent demands, by hitherto unknown quarters, for a Mohajir province in Sindh, while also protesting the operation in Lyari. The president of the party, Ayaz Latif Palijo, had announced some days ago that his party would hold the rally following which he said he had been receiving threatening phone calls. The banned Peoples Amn Committee, the PML-N and other groups had joined the protest, as had other smaller forces to support the cause. Even though the situation turned brutal, the threat of greater violence lies ahead. Perhaps not entirely unnaturally, the Awami Tehrik has vowed to avenge every drop of blood that was shed. The last thing we need in Karachi, or any other city for that matter, is of course, yet another bloodbath.
The question, of course, is how to stop it. Hatred and anger flows in streams through the streets of Karachi. In fact, it appears as though this terrible tide is spreading. We have seen Pathans pitched against other groups, Sunni extremists targeting Shias and now we have Sindhi nationalists entering the fray in a deeply divided province. No one seems to hold the ends of the rope that can tie it back together and this is, perhaps the most dangerous reality of all given the growing volatility of the situation.
Kidnap ordeal
After a two-week kidnapping ordeal, the owner of the popular Mr Books bookstore in Islamabad was finally freed by the police in a raid near Rawalpindi. Although now free, his kidnapping was facilitated by a young woman, who drew him out of his bookshop thereby delivering him straight into the hands of his captors. It would not be wise to extrapolate too much from one incident, but the use of a girl in a crime is very troubling and should it be repeated, it will only lead to a society where no one trusts each other despite age and gender.
Then there is the fact that the kidnappers demanded anywhere from Rs25-100 million in ransom, according to different media reports. Since he was freed without his family having to drum up a ransom they couldn’t afford, the shopkeeper is one of the more fortunate victims of the kidnapping epidemic that seems to have hit the country. In most cases, families either have to come up with the ransom amount or face the loss of their loved ones. The success rate of the police in apprehending kidnappers and freeing their victims is also abysmally low.
The wave of kidnappings that has hit the country is not confined to a particular area and is spread all over. One of the biggest worries is that the Taliban are employing kidnappings for ransom as a fundraising tool. This has especially been the case in Karachi and Peshawar, where wealthy families have been targeted. In Balochistan, kidnappings for ransom are targeting the vulnerable Hindu community, whose members tend to be well-off because they are traditionally traders and businessmen but whose plight rarely catches the attention of the authorities. In a way, though, it doesn’t matter if those behind the kidnappings are hardened militants or just criminal gangs. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the state to secure the well-being of its citizens, no matter who is threatening them.
Help for Alamgir
Ailing singer Alamgir, who needs a kidney transplant to survive, received surprising good news in the form of Sindh Governor Ishratul Ebad’s decision to give him a donation of $50,000 for his treatment. While the governor is to be congratulated for doing the right thing and we should be thankful, Alamgir will be getting the treatment he so urgently needs, there ought to be a better process in place to provide funds to ailing artistes. Rather than force artistes to go through a dog-and-pony show of press conferences and public appeals, it would be better if a fund was set up to provide financial assistance to artistes. A committee could be put in place to determine whether the case is genuine and then the artiste could get the help he or she needs quietly without the need for a public fuss.
The problem in Pakistan is that it is not enough for our politicians to do the right thing; they must also be seen doing the right thing by the voting public. So artistes are forced to go through this humiliating ritual before the politician swoops in as a saviour at the last minute and can congratulate himself on his humanitarianism. Of course, this also leads to the cases of many artistes slipping through the cracks. Artistes in this country receive almost no government support in the form of funding and patronage.
The role artistes play in our country cannot be understated. Apart from the entertainment they provide, they hold a mirror to society and reflect on its problems. One reason governments in this country have not been supportive of the arts is precisely because they feel threatened by artistes. Instead of congratulations, artistes have to face censorship. And when nearing death, the government finally offers them sympathy. It is time for government help to be made available with no strings attached, no publicity surrounding it and an absolute end to politicians using such grants for self-promotion. Alamgir and thousands like him deserve better.