Anatomy of a Karachi Bomb Blast

Main roads getting clogged due to the morning commuters weaving their path to work on a sunny day – the usual hubbub being faced by all. The mood in the city has been somewhat pleasant for a few weeks. There was a Bryan Adams concert some time ago and it was a huge success not only from a technical point of view but also from a social point of view. There were no unpleasant incidents, security was tight and above all, the behavior of the crowd was excellent beyond anyone’s expectations. The last match in the India – Pakistan ODI series was also an exhibition of Karachi crowd discipline. The Muharram Aashora also passed away peacefully in Karachi, despite some unpleasant incidents elsewhere in the country. Currently, there is a 2020 cricket tournament on the way. The Karachites are turning up at the stadium in the late evenings to enjoy the games. Yesterday, there has been a signing ceremony in Karachi, where the City Government has entered into an agreement with a Malaysian firm for the construction of a huge project that would help improve the traffic situation in Karachi. The overall mood in Karachi is quite positive.

There came a big law-and-order challenge, the protest and rallies over the sacrilege of the Prophet (PBUH). It was expected that Karachi’s episode of relative peace might get disturbed. The events that took place in Lahore and Peshawar were seen only as the shape of things to come in Karachi. Karachites once again proved speculators wrong. Protests and strikes did take place, there were minor stone pelting incidents but no major “law and order” situation erupted. For a change, Karachi was enjoying a peaceful period.

Karachi has long been the “Waterloo” and “Panipath” of the powers that be. It is a highly cosmopolitan city and has experienced unchecked robust expansion. A large number of refugees had come here and settled at the time of the partition. Later on, people from all over the country poured in, in search of a living. An analysis of the ethnic mix of Karachi would reveal people hailing from every ethnicity present in Pakistan – people speaking, Sindhi, Balauchi, Pushto, Punjabi, Seraiki, Hindko, Kashmiri, Urdu, Gujrati, Bengali and any other language that one is likely to find amongst any people living in Pakistan. People from all casts and creed call Karachi their home.

The problem with such a diverse mix of residents is that whenever an ethnic, religious, sectarian or political issue arises, there are sizeable portions of the population emerging on both sides of the table. Unfortunately, due to the disappointing political and democratic history in Pakistan, issues are seldom settled on the table. Still more unfortunately, in recent decades, terrorism for the sake of terrorism, with the sole purpose of disrupting peace and harmony has emerged as a phenomenon. Karachi has had the unpleasant distinction for becoming the warring ground for groups with differences amongst themselves, as well as becoming a playground for terrorists.

Pakistan army has been fighting insurgents in Baluchistan and Waziristan. In recent days there have been fierce battles with casualties on all sides. On March 01, 2006, one such battle took place in Waziristan and it has been reported that approximately forty people, mostly foreigners were killed. The published reports depict scenes resembling those of Hollywood action flicks. Civilian casualties have also been reported.

For March 03, 2006 there has been a call for a complete strike. The call is an international one made by various political and religious groups against the sacrilege of the Prophet (PBUH). Here in Pakistan, this call for a strike has a dual purpose. It has a political angle to it and that is common knowledge.

Mr. George W. Bush, the President of United States of America is about to visit the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. In some quarters Mr. Bush is already such a popular figure that a poem entitled “The Leader” praising Mr. Bush and containing his name in a hidden format appeared mysteriously in textbooks for Pakistani school children! On the other hand, there are those who are shouting at the top of their voice against his planned visit here. Visits from US presidents to this part of the world have a mysterious effect on the mortals that inhabit it – much like a passing comet is sometimes held responsible for mysterious events here on earth. On the eve of the visit of President Clinton in 2002, an incident took place where 35 Sikhs were brutally murdered in the small town of Chattisingpura in the Indian Occupied Kashmir. Without wasting any time Indian fingers were pointed towards Pakistan. Months later, there had been admissions that the evidence used to implicate Pakistani involvement was fake. Such are the events which have occurred in this region to welcome high profile visitors from far away places.

All in all, there is much happening on the national scene and apparently, amidst all this commotion, Karachi is living out a period of relative calm. The day started off with the usual hustle and bustle of a huge cosmopolitan city teeming with commercial activities.

This chaotic calm was soon to be disrupted when reportedly two bombs went off in the parking space behind a hotel located next to the American consulate. For most Karachites it was a well practiced drill that followed – calls to immediate family members to notify them of the caller’s safety and inquiring about the situation on the other end, a temporary somberness taking hold en masse, as the realization sinks in. The realization that all is not well in their city and it still remains the most effective blank wall for graffiti to be painted such that it is noticed.

With so many issues whipping the air like a tornado on the national canvas it is impossible to assign responsibility of such terrorism to any single group unless someone claims it and provides a signed affidavit to that effect, duly witnessed by “Notary Public”. Our intelligentsia has not commented on the nature of the blast with conclusiveness and are still investigating the crime scene (till the time that these lines are being written). Yet, our Federal Information Minister informs us that “the blasts in Karachi were not the reaction of Waziristan incidents”.

An Urdu verse comes to mind on this occasion:

“mein kis kay haath pey apna lahu talaash karon?
Saaray shehar nay pehnay huay hein dastanay”