Why is Karachi Turning Into a Sell-Out?

Re: # 78
Abay masadi uloo kay charkhay, kunway kay maindak.
you are the person when you were born all others with any knowledge died instantly, leaving you as the only wise one in this world, on top of that you happen to be such a self-righteous that there is not another example like you in this world.
Too bad you are in Chennai, India, if you were anywhere in Pakistan you make the best candidate by all measures to qualify for a free admission to Giddu Bandar, but I am sure that no matter where you happen to be it would be no less than Giddu Bandar.
You talk about Army and yet every letter not word of yours represents the ego of a dictator.

Re: # 74
Sorry about the delay due to health problems, here is one of the responses to your question regarding the Gold Reserves of Pakistan secured at SBP.
As per SBP’s Annual Audited Accounts as on 30th
June 2005, the gold reserves held by the SBP were 2,046,910 Troy Ounces (63.7 metric
tons), which were further increased by 1% to 2,066,514 Troy Ounces (64.3 metric tons)
as on 30th June, 2007.
With regards to MQM your information appears to be somewhat of a participating insider and may supersede my knowledge about the various branches & cells of MQM.
I have never participated with the organization in any capacity therefore my knowledge is that of an observing innocent bystander while the only party I have ever had any loyalty to was The Muslim League without the crutches of 4th letter, all else seems quite illegitimate and riding on crutches.
With regards to demands of money as mentioned by you if that is true then that is not a very healthy activity on part of anyone.
While, with regards to the burning of lawyer according to media reports in the follow up of this unfortunate event I understood that the lawyers and their clients who were burned to death were members or workers of MQM and were discussing the matter of some of their relatives who were being held by authorities.
Perhaps you know better, I do not investigate each and every story released in the media but do know that the very initial struggle when MQM originally surfaced included the reason of the open air drug market at Sohrab goth(F.B.Area) among other criminal activities which the MQM wanted to eliminate from Karachi altogether and the arms were introduced first by the drug dealers and criminals of Sohrab Goth.
However, I know on a first hand basis from relatives who reside in the area that they are being harassed by these criminals of Sohrab goth as the walk to their homes, while they are considering selling their properties and moving elsewhere to safer and civilized grounds, I know they won't be making up these stories just to start a story.
God willing I shall write more as health permits.
You take care and be good.

Re: # 87

Massaddi Mian:

"... about google is just bs. It is a search engine that takes you, when you want to find the news to the main corporate news sites that dominate the internet just as they dominate the mainstream media, its founders were not ordinary joes,they were stanford PhD students ..."

Shows how deep your knowledge is.

Has it ever occured to you that it takes only handful to start the transformation. Muhammad was one. You too are trying to be one. Whether you will ever have a following is laughable.

Thanks for the links any way, I will read them. For now I have to leave you with you thoughts and keyboard emancipation.

Re: # 87

Massaddi Mian:

"...On the other hand you have not answered my challenge of showing me how this emancipation with keyboards where the usage of computers is less than that of tv and radio, has caused change in social structure...."

People like you are blocking it, when they are not acting like cry babies.

Massaddi Mian:

Chinese is a phenomenon and not a threat. So please do not be paranoid. What is around you and west of the border around you is threat. Please look around carefully.

Re: # 87

Massaddi Mian:

"...Are you an idiot?...."

Please save these to shout when you stand up in front of the mirror, are looking at it.

Now, you knowledge that Internet as a social phenomenon was not even there in your favorite times 7th century to Mills.

BTW, while at it please extend this same logic to all thoughts that haunt your mind and show up as your personality and your rants too.

Anil writes "You still have not responded to my challenge to produce a single write-up by Mills that addresses this phenomenon...."

Are you an idiot? The internet wasn't invented by Al-Gore at the time Mills was writing, however he (Mills) was the pioneer in discussing the sociological impacts of modern technologies of the time. He also wrote about the media, you can get the quotes from my website http://www.asadi.org but it is best to read his articles published in professional journals, though their standard might be beyond the comprehension level of a "Harvard Business School graduate with an email to match" person like yourself.

On the other hand you have not answered my challenge of showing me how this emancipation with keyboards where the usage of computers is less than that of tv and radio, has caused change in social structure. Finally your nonsense about google is just bs. It is a search engine that takes you, when you want to find the news to the main corporate news sites that dominate the internet just as they dominate the mainstream media, its founders were not ordinary joes,they were stanford PhD students which makes them a very exclusive minority in the US and not everybody can raise over a million dollars in the US to start a company and have access to networks that take you to a successful ipo to a multibillion dollar company in which the major holdings are of those "elite" that you want to hide. As far as information goes, google is just a slave...

For media ownership concentration, read this article and see this diagram:

http://www.thenation.com/special/bigten.html (diagram)
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20020107/miller (article)


There is nothing you can say about "the China threat" that is amplified by the US for ulterior motive. Nothing they are doing by being a conduit for US corporations or can do by fitting into the current structure will shake the global structure dominated by the US

Massaddi Mian:

I would have written more about Chinese phenomenon, but that seems to be such a waste on mind drowned in 7th Century to Mills nonsense.

Massaddi Mian:

You can call me "Annill", is that fine with you?

You truly lack something, could it be intelligence?

You still have not responded to my challenge to produce a single write-up by Mills that addresses this phenomenon.

Media that you talk about has been loosing money and audience. Networks are loosing audiences, their effectiveness for national advertising has down down to almost 1/30th. Google's location and profile based advertising is running away with the advertising revenue.

Now in the buckle of the Bible-belt and near the caves of radical Islam it may be altogether different, while you were or are there.

Microsoft was ready to pay $42 billion for Yahoo. Neither of which have been founded by your so called elites. Do you know why?

Please listen and cut your nonsense of 7th century to Mills nonsense. Unless of course you have courage to accept that Mills did not say a thing about the "Power of One", and "Reach is Global" and "Resources are Global".

Annilll writes "there are more Internet users in China than in the U.S...."

And that somehow makes China and the Chinese global trend setters and the super power #1 in some way? The internet has not altered the power strcuture of any country anywhere. In parterning with the corporations, it has enhanced control of the masses, got their most intimate personal detalis to use in the marketplace, and facilitated the status quo. The little "keystroke" pushers have amounted to nothing in either getting a greater share of wealth or income for themselves as a group or in the development of their countries....

In addition, it is "masadi" not "massaddii mian"- are you blind or deaf?

Anil writes "This just the opposite of concentrated media. New media is distributed media..."

That is where you are sadly mistaken. Even on the internet which is not the source of information for the very vast majority, the corporate site dominate the setup, other sites that come up to compete are quickly incorporated by those very corporations. The media is more concentrated today in the hands of a handful of large corporations than it has ever been in the past, the very vast majority of humanity do not have access to the internet, which has caused just as much of a "revolution" as radios and tvs in the past which is ZERO as far as changing the global strcuture of power goes. It is a toy in the hands of a public for the purpose of distracting and deceiving them into believeing that now they are empowered. Together with the growth of the number of chinese using the internet has come much lesser freedom for China itself as it incorporates
itself into the global structure of capitalism...

Re: # 67

Madani sahib:

"...Mr anil and friends.... Please do not red flag truths you do not like to ban somebody...."

I do not red flag anyone. I for one signed the petition to allow Massaddi Mian be published on Chowk.

I have a lot of respect for your view points. I am afraid you are missing out on many new tools that have become available to solve tomorrows problems. Chinese phenomenon would not have happened, let us not even talk about if Indian phenomenon is happening or not.

If Massaddi Mian can use from a family of this tool to project his views, others are using to create new jobs, and flattening the earth for global advantage. He has no clue that basics may be from Adam Smiths, but in the knowledge based society and economy new social and economic laws are being defined. Therefore, if the Islamic world or the part of the world you and he live misses out and others capture the lead and create wealth, please do not blame or call names to others for not listening to 7th century to Mills rant. You know why because the world is changing NOW. There came a time when Einstein's theory superseded Newton's laws too.

Re: # 68

Massaddi Mian:

"... That media that has been ultra concentrated in the US has greater impact than your "keystroke" ..."

This statement shows your ignorance. For your information, there are more Internet users in China than in the U.S. This is all about "Power of One" and "Global Resources". Just the opposite of concentrated media. Innovation in technology happened in the U.S., the spread in technology happens after the innovation. "Power of One" means that individual blogger can make the difference. You and I can have a dialog one-on-one. "Global Resources" mean truly world wide access, you on one end and I on the other end to mention few of the trillions of combinations. Never ever available to human kind before. This is just one social aspect. Economic aspects are redefining the entire corporate approach, which was based large ownership to own large assets. New approach does not rely on it. Please go and research iPod phenomenon. Apple does not own all the parts that went in its creation. The network of its suppliers own a lot of intellectual and physical assets. This network creates the competitive advantage.

This just the opposite of concentrated media. New media is distributed media. Opposite of what in your ignorance attributed to Mills. My challenge to you still remains, produce a single article by Mills on this phenomenon.

g'night

Matloob Zaman Army apologist writes "With all the knowledge that you spew here, your should change your name from masadi to "errorist" yes without a T that is. "

I know that PMA types those that eat the crumbs off the floor of those that suck on the blood of humanity are intellectually challenged to respond to whatever knowledge I share here, hense your post full of personal attacks and totally devoid of challenging even one of my points. WE expect that from those that possess the brains of toads that escaped the high school laboratory when the student was half done with his "toad brain lobotomy"....

Re: # 76 all weath created in karachi is keeping country afloat and witout port city all trade will come to standstill. no imports no exports. that keeps rulers mindful of interests of mqm and karachi.

Re: # 74 mr. zeemax do not believe all news about mqm they print, most are biased agaist altaf and hatred and writing bad stuff is now in their blood. anti mqm attitude is so strong even supporters have to be on defensive. mqm destroyed the myth of punjabi and pathan physical supremacy, they defeated ppi gangs completely and when needed liquidated oppressers and same way destroyed army ranger myths on streets of karachi. sure army many more mqm supporters but altaf went out and continued struggle all ways and delivered land for his people. he is good to friend to friends and worst to enemies. it is fashion to criticize him unfairly and make false alligations. we are tired of anti mqm hatred. urban sindh is mqm country just like punjab is ns country.

... 9 March should be 9 April.

#73 Posted by MatloobZaman,

Sir, I'm not very good at writing long posts. But I see you're not used to answering pointed and direct questions.

Black Tigers is the militant wing of MQM. The same who burnt a lawyer and his five clients alive on 9 March this year. And no, Haqiqi was restricted to Landhi & some parts of Korangi industrial areas where may have demanded bhatta, but did NOT operate in entire Liaquatabad to North Nazimabad residential as well as Industrial areas where the Altaf group imposed a virtual tax on each household and industry - so please do not deflect to Haqiqi. It was a tiny group anyway and almost extinct now. Altaf group killed most of them and dumped them on roadsides in sacks when the Government allowed them to do so after having met it's objectives with their creation.

Your remark: "... my deeds, among many which includes providing the empty treasury of Pakistan with the Gold that the state uses as a reserve to print the currency" particularly caught my attention and sheer amazement.

Are you saying, Sir, that Pakistan currency is backed by Gold reserves?

What're the total Gold Reserves of Pakistan even at today's prices and what is the aggregate money in circulation?

That's nothing relevant to the subject, but I do have to say it reflects very badly on the rest of your knowledge.

have a good one, time for me to hit the sack.

Re: # 71
I would like you to place your question in straight language rather than 70% Club or Black Tigers because I dont resort to camouflaging and prefer straight talk.

Oh yes, most definitely I admire MQM for their reasons to establish an organization, I do claim Karachi as "my" & "our" city and have no shame in saying so quite openly while I will continue to do so in future.

Why does it concern you?
If so, kindly explain your concerns in detail.

Talibanization is not all that bad either if it is meant to establish the rules of scripture.

The Talibanization which I understand from recent expression by some specially from MQM refers to the existence of the anti-social elements who have been using the jurisdiction of Karachi for their criminal activities such as, taking over other's property by force and seeking ransom to evacuate, drug trafficking, drug pushing, providing shelter to criminals, blocking innocent unarmed civilians from going to their home, armed robberies and looting of unarmed civilians in their homes and on the street, kidnapping for ransom etc. while all this mischief is ongoing since the 80's before the student body (became MQM) on a continuing basis and even happening today.
I know of cases where some of such anti-social activists have recently challenged families with children who were walking back to their home from their elder's homes were intercepted and warned that they were in an out-of-bounds territory.

If your brother/sister/mother/father or relatives or even acquaintances were challenged in this manner what would be your feelings, emotions and sentiments?

Last but least I think this needs to be made clear that I am not submitting myself for any scrutiny by your highness or do I need to go on explaining myself since I am beyond all those certifications that you may feel to be a certifying authority on.

My deeds are meant for me and you may have yours, to each is there own, I repeat that I am most certainly an admirer of MQM and specially since I have firsthand knowledge as to how the establishments of past attempted to demonize MQM, after the creation of MQM there came about a MQM Haqiqi that was formed by certain cronies of the BB govt and consisted of fresh recruits whose sentences were commuted on the condition that they would form such an organization to counter and defame the actual MQM upon their release from jail where they were serving time for criminal activities, while all the excessive acts that were carried out by the MQM-Haqiqi group were imposed upon and made responsibility of the actual MQM. The demands for money from hawkers and shopkeepers and many other criminal acts to include constant killing of members, followers and officials of the actual MQM while the impostor MQM Haqiqi was also supported by the govt. machinery in carrying out their heinous criminal acts.

I have all the confidence that the encroachment by the so-called Talibans shall be handled effectively as their increasing activities that encroach on the civil liberties of others are at a surge, while they happen to be well armed too, it was dealt with in past and it will be dealt with even more vigor should there be such a need again, while the only way to deal with an armed guerrilla force is to counter them in kind and aside from MQM others not under the umbrella of such an organization are also prepared individually and will respond God forbid if there is a need to.

In my case you don't need to worry about my deeds, among many which includes providing the empty treasury of Pakistan with the Gold that the state uses as a reserve to print the currency so people have a mean to be a part of civilized world instead of depending on barter system.

My question to you is, what would you do to such anti-social elements such as these so-called Talibans as being referred to in the media and bought by innocent people like you? would you sit back and watch your mothers/sisters/daughters/wives and other loved ones being challenged by such elements or will you take necessary action to prevent them from establishing themselves controlling as parallel force to the govt. in power?

Thanks for the offer for trying again your question but I would rather leave that unanswered since you are so smart when it comes to speculation. Since the real Taliban are no rag tag mullahs and are much too learned in their faculty than anyone posting here on this site, and the less than literate ones are busy exploiting innocent civilians of Karachi.

#70 MatloobZaman,

You didn't answer my question, but are merely presenting oft repeated platitudes which are shallow at best, not backed by deeds or attitudes of the MQM admirers to which you have admitted at being one.

Do try again. Here's the question of #50 again:

"In any event, this 'our city' claim becomes even more ludicrous when now the same people who proudly claim the ability to shut down Karachi in a day with their thugs, and use that threat as leverage to extract political benefits from the majority parties at both the Federal and Provincial level, are getting hoarse appealing everyday to the common Karachi Citizens to form 'Civil Defence Committees' against encroaching Talibanisation.

What? Unbelievable!

Is it that the Black Tigers who can shut down Karachi in one day, cannot defend the Karachi Citizens against some rag tag tribal mullahs? The citizens will need to do it themselves this time around?"

Regards.

Re: # 50
There you go speculating, I have no connections with MQM or any other political party of Pakistan, since everyone of those is merely composed of thugs from top to bottom.
Thugs who are on the forefront only to benefit personally and to provide benefits for their cronies the so called supporters.

What I say is from my knowledge of the overall events and what brought about the creation of MQM, I dont care to be a part of any organization that labels itself with an ethnicity label, but it does not mean, that due to that I oppose their existence.

From my vantage point I know and see a lot of activities that have been taking place in the filthy policital arena of Pakistan, on one hand you suggest that some people that you dislike should stop calling Karachi their's, while on the other hand you chose to turn your face when several others happen to claim alike? Baluchistan, FATA, Sindhu Desh etc. or is it only due to its being the most developed city and majority of those who contributed to the development as well as majority of those who made it home don't meet your eye?

The Pathans have been coming to Karachi ever since I have known and been a part of metropolis, however since the special Pathans who are actually not the same hardworking Pathans but a bunch of criminals who settled in established ghettos of serious criminal activities in Karachi are the one's that are not among the liked ones due to all the activities they brought to "our" city.

I thought you are brilliant enough to understand when I said "ours" which was meant to have included you and others regardless of what ethnic or regional background you come from, however, I can only blame the misunderstanding on tunnel vision which promotes a mindset against urdu speaking mohajirs who have a right to call Karachi their city based on their contributions they not only made to Karachi but also to the state of Pakistan, unfortunately your generation may not have been taught about the history of mohajirs' contributions in the establishment, support,maintenance and development of entire Pakistan.

No matter how "you" feel about it, I reiterate my claim to Karachi as my city and don't have a problem if you or others feel alike, but, with nothing less than a goodwill.
I think I made it quite clear in my previous response that I acknowledge the contributions to the development and progress of this city of Karachi to the various ethnics from several regions of Pakistan however after having read your writing in response it leads me to understand that you wish to totally disclaim the Urdu speaking mohajir community of Karachi from any rights to their city, and sadly that is a dream that is never going to see the daylight "if in fact that is what you mean to express" and if you do, then the only conclusion I offer is that, it is so very sad to know that there exist such people in my homeland of Pakistan.

I take due-pride in my ethnicity, culture, language and traditions but that does not mean to belittle others in comparison to mine, as opposed to some who feel and express in such manner unless they happen to be imperceptive and merely seek a clash, and if so, then, they don't measure up to my level and should not be addressed.

Re: # 55
Masadi you are like a frog or better yet a tadpole who fell in the well and is stuck in it.
You are so self-righteous that no one other you the tadpole is such an overall expert on each and every issue that is discussed on any topic on this site.
Have mercy on yourself and spare the people of your daily wrath and the poison that seems to be well stocked within your keystrokes.
I have seen your writing and nit-picking of each and every individual on this site that your comments mean nothing.
With all the knowledge that you spew here, your should change your name from masadi to "errorist" yes without a T that is.

Anil writes "Please show me any writing from Mills where he talks about the social impact of billion connected people who are separated by few keystrokes; and hundreds of millions of people who can do things on-demand at their on time and in their space"

First since you haven't read Mills yet argue against him, it will be useless to tell you that he was the first one to study the impact of the newly formed concentrated media in the US. That media that has been ultra concentrated in the US has greater impact than your "keystroke" working people where a mere impression is given of empowerment (through the internet) yet the same corporations dominate the internet world as dominate the media. The media tries to give the same impression by letting you "call in" to the programs, yet the filters they contain only discuss those issues in the US that are valued by the elite, or are distractions that want to move you in a particular direction.

You have not, as usual, been able to come up with a single argument to refute what I write. Your posts are full of bigotry against Islam even though my posts don't discuss it in pontificating on contemporary issues.While talking about "changes" you have no clue about today's global structure and the role that the power state plays to keep these relationships, railing against Mills' 1950s book (that you havent read) you want to return to the time of Adam Smith (a world of infant, scatter, mom and pop type capitalism and not of the ultra concentrated militarized capitalism). You remain an ignoramus who has written a 5 page response full of BS against my person while not approaching a single argument...Learn how to spell my nick, "masadi" not "massaddddiiii", and no matter what BS excuses you offer to legtimize Chowk staff regarding my articles, you remain a cheap supporter of censorship and little else....

Re: # 66 Mr anil and friends.... Please do not red flag truths you do not like to ban somebody.

Re: # 64 Mr. Anil... You have not read mr. Masadi's books I guess or mr. Mills. So do not talk about things you have not read. We do not want you sitting some where in usa tell masadi what is right or wrong. One arab philosper king once advised said it is never right to sit on camels and herd ships and goats.
You do not absoluetly do not understand working man is going through anguish and frustration. It not only want aata, water, catching bus electricity or violence it is just loss of hope. Now there all little processions all time, demands by men , women ,children, by rich ,poor and all . It is season of discontent I have never seen in life. This mangal bagh and other outfits have extremely damaged country and army standing. We know our army can bring indian army to halt and F-16 can destroy you junky russian floating platform by firing missile from hundred miles. And not afraid of india and cruze missiles can shut down all atomic missile on ground. But this civil war is snapping at respect of army. Army is all time looks on retreat and avoiding contact with lashkars. All armies at least always need contact with enemy but army has almost closed that defensive instincts. Army and ruling class has decided not to defend idealogy of pakistan the two nation theory which is snapping at unity of country. Baniya sindhi and lazy mercantile class talking of importing junky 10 years old busses pure junk. They have side lined kashmir and wants friendship with oppressors of Kashmir. Then what is left and how kashmir problem will be solved. Other nationality problems are rising up fast. B. Stan terror group are blowing national assets at will and our national ZERO is to Dubai then another "piller" Lion of Punjab is on move and on way to london. ( Only some body is doing is city chief of karachi MQM man and piunjab chief NS brothwer is trying ) all others are haram and on drugs and just looting. Now all lakshars are in charge and army is loosing control and confidence and just retreating and appeasing. Appeasing has made Lakshars contempful of army. One does not know where army can decide to make stand may be they may show backbone will be too late. People talk with hatred against army and comforting to lakshars as they may not like like them but they have more characters than continuation of east India british co by american co.
It is too complex and things are disintegrating and stocks are not not doing good but killing honest people like me.

Mr. Masadi is lone voice is in wilderness . Now i do not agree with him always , but his main thesis is right that american elites are deciding fate of first nuclear muslim power and local elites are accepting it and seconding it. At least out of decency they should not lie and support wot, they are reapeating american lines.. I support masadi as he is only left left socialist antielists. Now tamasha of lawyers is directed by head mastewr black lady mrs. Rice they are taking orders from american lady all mards of pakistan.
Now i do not agree with Masadi about mr. Hussain who is atleast addressed as Quaid E Awam.And he is doing good job and try to stop p.Talibs so I did not his ditribe against mr. Hussain. Now PP oe PML who wants to come in power have to accept aspirations of people Karachi. Karachi is controlled by Altaf no body will like to cross his path. He does do control all Urban Sindh and he does not want to encroch others including Mr. Zero and NS. So let us show respect to Hussain and please no bad word about him.

Basically you do not contribute as situation is difficult than anybody this. Only masadi telling some truth and they are bitter . Hope they stop banning him as habit. I salute Mujumdar for helping hinmm to defeat elite controlof media.
Good day bye.
You can write about india and bombing going on . It looks frustrated Left+Bjp are blasting cities to challenge mrs Gandhi. Hoipe mrs gandhi takes care of bomber but hard as left and bjp bombers are part of govt. How about making uN inquiring of blasting. You pay attention to india. Instead of blocking masadai stopping some big mouths from india for change.
Good day.

Re: # 64

Correction:

"I would know Islam"

should be

"I would NOT know Islam"

Massaddi Mian:

Please show me any writing from Mills where he talks about the social impact of billion connected people who are separated by few keystrokes; and hundreds of millions of people who can do things on-demand at their on time and in their space. Otherwise please just keep quiet and listen to others also.

You are indeed a cry baby. You prefer to propound your ideology. Has it ever occurred to you that the constitution of the country Chowk.com is located vigorously allows freedom expression and choice? This freedom of expression is both ways. Any media has equal right to publish or not publish. It is not your birth right.

Is it not possible that Chowk.com may not subscribe to your ideology, and may have exercised their freedom of expression?

Certainly you would not publish KKK, or Jewish Defense League, or Bajrang Dal material on your web-site, because it is your choice. Beside who wants to go to your web-site, else you would not be crying like a baby here instead publishing there.

You are so arrogantly narrow minded that probably caused Hamidm sahib and Tahmed sahib to be banned for trying to return your favors. Chowk.com seems to publish as diverse views as Echoboom, Urstruly, Zeemax, HP, Hamidm and Tahmed sahibs to mention the few.

If you cannot change your habit of throwing tantrums and hurling abuses then please do not blame Chowk.com for its actions. Hopefully you are smart enough to understand this, and would try to improve your debating skills and mature your thoghts and concepts.

Also it does not hurt to accept a defeat gracefully, when everyone knows if you won or lost. When you cry like a baby, it seems you are trying to control Chowk.com, and make it give in and concede, like a cry baby does to his or her mother.

For your knowledge I signed the petition that you should be allowed to publish here. Chowk.com has complete editing control at this site.

Please respect others right to express themselves, crying should not make any difference, as much as you want others (Chowk.com) to accept your right to publish at this site.

Also, during my student days, I probably was as much an activist as you are. I have understanding of the viewpoints of the left. I would know Islam, but I know enough about the place of belief systems much more than you do. Your narrow-minded approach, rigidity and very shallow grasp of many subjects you claim to be knowledgeable is clear to many. You, in most self-serving way, you declare yourself to have won and prevailed over the others, or start hurling insults.

You are completely wrong that Mills or 7th century laws and theories about social constructs are valid in new reality of billion connected people and growing. Laws governiing societies have evolved. Especially in today's world when capital moves at the speed of light and labor/jobs move at the speed of sound. You fail to understand that in this flat-world capturing of mind is more important than capturing of land. In this world, equity (ownership / control) is less important than sharing and deriving benefits.

Today Islamic sword is just as ineffective and Christian crusades would be. There is no point for you to get angry on this reality that economy is the single biggest driver, and next is technology.

Markets are not limited to demographics or geographic, they are getting formed across the globe on other attributes like shared experience and values.

Co-creation is a new paradigm, than working in isolation. Collaborative creativity and creative commerce are creating small businesses with multi-national foot print. For almost a decade, small businesses are creating more jobs than multi-nationals. Social differences between places are becoming sharper. Value creation is in diversity, Silicon Valley and Mississippi Delta have very sharp differences.

It does not need an Einstein to see the changes that are happening, provided you walk with your mind's eyes opened. Then what would you know, when you went on touring America you chose to take pictures of the donkeys.

Whatever please do not be a cry baby, and if you cannot accept the rules of Chowk.com, publish on your web-site, teach at your Madrassa.

Re: # 62

ok calm down massssssaaaaaddddiiiii saaab

you lunatic

And for the 1000th time it is "Masadi" not "Masssaddddiii mian"; thank you

In the right wing loons discription of our world they consider everyone "equal in power and allowed to compete freely based on objective rules", what makes the third world people fail according to their fairy tale state of affairs is their inferior nature, too much corruption, their own faults etc....needed to make this clarification because this 'right wing loon' anil might try to make a point that I said "equal" and "inferior" in the same sentence! Yes, their ability at comprehension is quite low too...

Btw, no present day sociologist has come even close to describing what the current power structure of the US is without relying on Mills, and his 1950s book; other than right wing loons that push the argument that it is free for all,everyone is equal and competes freely (they are going even further back to Adam Smith's time, and here you complain of the 1950s!) third world people are inferior and technology will save all as the US carries its banner of freedom (and military bases) around the globe....You remain clueless like they do...

Anil don't hide behind banal excuses and slogans of technology, to support censorship of the Chowk Staff variety. You do it becuase the facts stump you, and you cannot handle the truth when it busts the BS you spew here. Check the ilogs, everyone who has posted after me has appeared on the FP but my post. Is that coincidence, day after day? I think not....

Re: # 57

Massaddi Mian:

Please do not be a cry-baby. Write sensibly, you like all of us are going to spend all of your life in the future, and solutions for future will be not based on something that you recycle from 7th century and Mills. I had heard these in 70s when I was student during the Vietnam War days. Sociological challenges are more, you could put your nonsense here through technology. In the past you have just taught in a village school or college and that is where supporters and critiques to your nonsense would have come from, now it is global.

Don't you understand its impact of sociological changes? Please quit being a cry-baby.

An ilog I posted yesterday has been reposted to counter chowk staff censorship of my ilogs. Unlike everyones ilog mine never goes to the FP, except much later after it has been filtered by chowk staff. This particular one didn't make it, even though those that post after me immediately go to the FP. Chowk members need to take action against such censorship of interacts, ilogs and articles and don't let the Hindu bigots, the CIA and Pakistan Army types overtake this site....

....not to mention how they enrich themselves by sucking on the blood of the people of this nation, more than any civilian can even imagine in their wildest rampage in politics....

Matloob Zaman writes "In my humble opinion we have been blessed by so much in Pakistan that if we just began to look towards each other with a love that should exist in brotherhood I believe that our problems will simply go away.
Best wishes "

The opinion is not humble but highly deceptive. Using the "L" word to cover up the barbarism of the Pakistan Army's policies is similar to the US using the "Freedom" slogan to entrap the world in the worst bondage in human history. Never love your oppressors, those that have converted this "beautiful land" into a social and economic graveyard. Matloob Zaman's post is nothing more than Pakistan Army apologietics, presented in their classic double speak, Western propaganda style- the "beauty" of this land to these people are those 84% that live below subsistence, the 50% that are food insecure, one of the highest rates of infant mortality and illiteracy in the world....these are the things these people have constructed, and that is the "beauty" they want to maintain...

In addition to #53, Quaid e Awam was ZAB, not the charlatan from London, who is hated outside of a city and had no national support, not even the full support of the city that is his power base....

Madani Sahib, Dubai is still closer to Pakistan than London, and supporting the dictator/US is similar if one happens to be "zero" or your "hero". Charity work does not alter the deprivation producing structure. The US does a lot of "charity" work through its corporate foundations as well. Setting up a blood bank is a smokescreen when you suck on the blood of a city and its people.....After being responsible, through its policies of taking food out of the mouths of the tens of millions in the developing countries, the US provides "USA Wheat" too with much fanfare. Political point scoring and masking BS is what this news item shows. Please get beyond ethnicity or you'll never be able to see right and wrong clearly...

MQM chief Quaid E Awam Altaf Hussain style politics. ( compare mr. Zero is going to Dubai)

MQM believes in serving humanity, says senator



Saturday, July 26, 2008
LARKANA: The Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Housing, Works and Environment, Senator Dr Muhammad Ali Brohi, on Friday inaugurated the newly-constructed building of the central laboratory and blood bank in the Chandka Medical College (CMC) Hospital, City Block, Larkana.

The building has been constructed at a cost of Rs 2.5 million from the fund of the senator and under the directives of MQM chief Altaf Hussain. Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the blood bank building, Brohi said the MQM believes in providing service to the ailing humanity without any discrimination.

He said Rs 10 million were being spent for the completion of a thalassaemia centre on the first floor of this building by September 30. Brohi said all the requirements/furniture needed for the blood bank would be provided through the Health Department and he would try his best to get the funds approved in this regard.

He requested the CMC Hospital medical superintendent to prepare a list of requirements/furniture so that funds might be approved accordingly. He said the blood bank would prove a gift for the people of Larkana, upper Sindh area and some parts of Balochistan. He added the MQM believes in implementation of projects in order to resolve the problems of the poor people at their doorstep. Brohi thanked CMC Principal Professor Sikandar Ali Shaikh, CMC Hospital MS Dr Syed Mehboob Ali Shah, party workers and other participants, who attended the inaugural ceremony.

On the occasion, Professor Shaikh appreciated the efforts of MQM chief Altaf Hussain and Senator Brohi for establishing the blood bank which, he said, was the need of the hour. He added that the poor patients would benefit from this blood bank. Dr Shah also appreciated the efforts of Senator Brohi for establishing the blood bank. He said some equipment were purchased when the building was handed over to the hospital administration.

The hospital equipment would be utilised accordingly and the list of the remaining requirements in this regard would also be given to Senator Brohi for further approval. On the occasion, laboratory in-charge Dr Ghulam Shabbir Shaikh and MQM zonal In-charge Aftab Ahmed Soomro paid rich tribute to Altaf Hussain and appreciated the efforts of Senator Brohi for establishing the blood bank.

We should demand MQM style poltics, people serving business.
Thank you Mr.Hussain

Re: # 50 Zee-to-the-Max
"are getting hoarse appealing everyday to the common Karachi Citizens to form 'Civil Defence Committees' against encroaching Talibanisation."

By this 'Taliban' label they mean the average Pathan whom they gladly employ to mend their shoes by the roadsides, guard their fancy houses, and drive their cars.

#49 Posted by MatloobZaman,

... if we just began to look towards each other with a love that should exist in brotherhood I believe that our problems will simply go away.

Very noble thoughts indeed, but not in deed!

For a start, you should ask your MQM to stop claiming Karachi as 'Our City', and stop killing innocent people because they don't want a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to enter Karachi. Only then, anyone in the other areas of Pakistan like the North you mention will believe you.

In any event, this 'our city' claim becomes even more ludicrous when now the same people who proudly claim the ability to shut down Karachi in a day with their thugs, and use that threat as leverage to extract political benefits from the majority parties at both the Federal and Provincial level, are getting hoarse appealing everyday to the common Karachi Citizens to form 'Civil Defence Committees' against encroaching Talibanisation.

What? Unbelievable!

Is it that the Black Tigers who can shut down Karachi in one day, cannot defend the Karachi Citizens against some rag tag tribal mullahs? The citizens will need to do it themselves this time around?

Re: # 40
Be patient I don't want to play illegitimate numbers game, what you read so far is a way beyond moderate and modest reporting by those who were not at ground zero, as I said that figure is a rounded figure and hope that not as many people lost their lives, however, one must remember that the count of deaths comes from accountable remains, as far as missing are concerned they are not outright accounted for as dead at least that is what most administrations around the world follow. If there was a mass grave located then the remains recovered would be accounted for.
In as much as 70% argument is concerned, I am not the type who chooses to mention about the favors that are extended towards brotherhood, even if Karachi provided 70% I find it out of place to mention repeat or insist upon it, if Karachi did they did not do it for anyone "ghair" they did it for their own Pakistani brothers who has just as much right on any part or jurisdiction of Pakistan as Karachites, at least that is what I have learned. What I know is Karachi played a major role in providing for the economy of Pakistan and it is a source of contentment for me that whatever we the Karachites were able to contribute to the wealth of our nation for our Pakistani brothers regardless of what ethnicity or region they may belong to.
Yes, Karachi is my city and its yours too regardless of where you come from in Pakistan.
I remember the days when we used to receive heads of states from all over the world one after another, personally I had the pleasure of welcoming Queen Elizabeth, Lindon B. Johnson, Charles deGaulle, Jamal Gursal, Ahmed Sukarno, Suharto, Faisal Ibn Abdul Aziz Al Saud, Chu En Lai, Liu Chau Chi, J. F. Kennedy, Dwight David Eisenhower, Abu Bakar Dabelo, Ahemd Reza Shah Pehalavi and countless more each arriving at Karachi and introduced to the industry of Pakistan then centralized in Karachi.
All Pakistanis regardless of their ethnic & regional attachments should take pride all things about Pakistan.
When I see the documentaries of Pakistan's north & west its nothing less than a fairyland I personally compare it to Switzerland and take absolute pride in all that Pakistan has been blessed with. Exchanging a greeting and a smile does not take much except bringing two closer. Not meaning to impose my belief on anyone but according to mine when one sees someone flourishing and in a good shape, status or wealth one instead of envying and having a feeling of jealousy if they feel good about something that they see one should quietly seek alike from their creator( pardon me from bringing the faith in this discussion but it's built in my nature & I hope it does not offend you in any manner).
In my humble opinion we have been blessed by so much in Pakistan that if we just began to look towards each other with a love that should exist in brotherhood I believe that our problems will simply go away.
Best wishes

Hum loog apnay app hi ko dhoka deynay kay liyee apnay aap hi say jhoot boltey heen.

#31 Posted by hassansiddiqi
"I am a proud MQM supporter"

Is it true that Altaph bai's soiled underwears (or pieces thereof) are Fedexed (in tamper proof packaging) to all MQM units where proud supporters inhale the aroma and rub'em with their eyes for sawab and barakaat?

It is also believed by proud supporters (who have also saw his mubarak shabeeh on a leaf and in the moon) that rubbing those with your eyes fortifies your eyesight?

Re: # 42

{You claimed 70% of Revenue. And that's the banner claim of MQM as well which was my point, so I don't blame you.}

Zee payee

Not true, you have taken a position and refuse to accept otherwise, no problem. As for MQM, I am not their spokeperson thus this argument is also inadmissable.

#44 Posted by majumdar,

Yes I agree an overall number of 70,000 is credible.

Zee sahib,

Dont know how creditable the figures are but the death toll includes:

Indian soldiers killed by militants.
Militants killed by soldiers.
Innocent folks (Muslims, Pandits, Sikhs) killed by militants.
Innocent folks killed by Indian soldiers.

And this over a 19 year period.

The #4 list is prolly a very small number (but condemnable all the same)

Regards

#41 Posted by majumdar,

There are mass graves recently discovered in the Valley. 70,000 in two decades at the given level of conflict appears credible maybe 10% +(-).

#39 Posted by rf786,

You claimed 70% of Revenue. And that's the banner claim of MQM as well which was my point, so I don't blame you.

Zee sahib,

Re: 40

20,000 Mojos being killed in Karachi by the state of Pakistan is about as authentic as 70,000 Kashmiris being killed by Indian Army.

Regards

#37 Posted by MatloobZaman,

Thanks for the c/p of the year by year account of the Karachi violence. I browsed through it but can't see any figures adding up to 20,000. Where did that come from?

The only reference to a total I see is at the end from the anti-MQM side saying "Around 200 relatives of policemen killed in violence in Karachi marched through the city demanding the public execution of terrorists involved in the killings. Carrying placards and portraits of those killed, they chanted slogans against "terrorists" belonging to the MQM party. They also called for compensation for those killed in Karachi, where the violence has claimed more than 3,500 lives during the last three years. (Agence France Presse 2/13/99)."

So 3,500 in three years assumes on both sides i.e. including Police/Rangers/Haqiqi. Can you reconcile the 20,000 which the Altaf group claims were killed on their side alone?

Re: # 34

Zee Payee,

Thussi satyha gai ho, yes I have debated the issue with you but simply to prove your side of the argument is wrong because it is biased and deliberatly ignores facts where Karachi deserves credit. Not once have I stated that Karachi produces 70% of the GDP, if that was ever used or stated by some people it was done to put mirchi up your u know what.

Chaddo yaar, aye vhee koi gul hoee. Life is too short, come join us in Greater Baluchistan/Sindh ittehad...soon to be an independent, prosperous, peace loving land for ALL except for the self-rigteous, deranged, obscurantist suicide bombing fanatics. These we will have to weed out one by one and send them back to their manufacturer as a manufacturing defect.

Re: # 33

Wa salam

Ya Akhee MZ, Mashallah, mashallah aapkee arabic is very good, I am afraid mine is rather limited. Keep up the good work, and khalee walee to these fasidoon.

Compiled by:
Center for International Development and Conflict Management
College Park, MD 20742
(Updating continues)
Chronology for Mohajirs in Pakistan
Title: MINORITIES AT RISK

Nov 1987 Local elections, held officially on a non-party basis, took place throughout Pakistan. The growth of ethnic communalism was reflected in the performance of the MQM, which won the majority of seats in Karachi and Hyderabad, and was also successful in other urban areas of Sindh. Nov 1988 After the plane crash that killed President Zia, the US Ambassador to Pakistan, and several senior military officials in August, elections were held in November. The PPP established a coalition government with the MQM in Sindh. Following the signing of an agreement of cooperation between the MQM and the PPP, which together had a working majority in the National Assembly, Benazir Bhutto was sworn-in as Prime Minister. Bhutto, who hails from Sindh, is the first woman ever elected the leader of a Muslim country.

May 1989 The coalition government in Sindh collapsed, following the resignation of three MQM ministers from the provincial cabinet in the wake of increased ethnic violence in Sindh. Oct 1989 At the federal level, the PPP-MQM alliance collapsed as well. The MQM alleged that the PPP Government had failed to honor any of its pledges it made to them. The MQM then transferred its parliamentary support to the opposition.

Feb 1990 Violent anti-government demonstrations in Karachi organized by the MQM left at least 60 people dead and over 100 injured. A curfew was imposed and troops were called in to restore order. The demonstrations were called by the MQM, which represents Muslims who emigrated upon the 1947 partition of the Indian subcontinent, to protest against the alleged abduction of MQM members by supporters of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). A swap of 76 rival political activists followed army-sponsored talks in Karachi to end days of political violence between supporters of the MQM and the Jaye Sindh. The Jaye Sindh movement is demanding autonomy for Sindh.

May 1990 A curfew was imposed in Hyderabad, the second largest city of Sindh, following machine-gun battles between the Mohajirs and native Sindhis. The situation deteriorated after the arrest of Qadir Magsi, a Sindhi nationalist leader. The death toll in the city reached over 80, including 17 women and seven children. The army was deployed in Sindh to help civilian authorities restore law and order. This was followed by repeated allegations, which were difficult to verify, that law enforcement agencies favored PPP followers and caused the deaths of innocent people while attempting to bring the violence under control or by standing by and refusing to intervene (US State Dept. Dispatch, February 1991). The PPP denied the allegations.

Aug 1990 President Ghulam Khan, pursuant to his constitutional powers, dismissed the Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP) government of Bhutto and dissolved the national and provincial assemblies. Elections were called for October 24 and 27. A state of emergency was declared to enable the President to act in the absence of the assemblies.

Nov 1990 Nawaz Sharif, the leader of the Islamic Democratic Alliance (IDA), has been sworn in as Prime Minister, after his right-wing coalition defeated the PPP-led opposition in last month's election. The urban-based MQM, which again emerged as the third most popular party, obtained 15 seats in the 207-seat National Assembly.

Jan 1991 The Hyderabad Press Club held its annual elections. As a result of a boycott by Sindhi journalists, two press clubs are now in existence. The government has agreed to allocate new flats to newsmen in specific ethnic areas. Wounded victims of violence even attend hospitals divided along ethnic lines.
Feb 1991 14 people have been killed and 26 others wounded in ethnic violence. The clashes were among the worst since Nawaz Sharif took office in last November.

Sep 1991 Three people were killed in bomb attacks during a strike in Hyderabad. Native Sindhis were protesting against the repatriation of Biharis, the so-called "stranded Pakistanis" from Bangladesh.

Oct 1991 Life was disrupted in parts of Sindh after a strike call by the progressive group of Jaye Sindh Tehrik to protest the appointment of a caretaker chief minister, Tariq Javed. Javed, who is from the Mohajir community, is replacing Jam Sadiq Ali pending his return from medical treatment in London. The MQM is a partner in the Sindh government. However, the strike call was not heeded in Karachi, which is dominated by the Mohajirs.

May 1992 Opposition leader Bhutto said that an army operation in Sindh should be part of a political package for the province. Speaking in a parliamentary debate, Bhutto demanded the establishment of job quotas for native Sindhis in the federal and provincial governments and in government-controlled corporations (Reuters, 05/26/92).

Jun 1992 A violent clash between the two factions of the MQM -- the majority Altaf faction and the small breakaway Haqiqi faction -- gave the armed forces an opportunity to clamp down on "extremist" elements within the MQM. More than 55 people were arrested, caches of arms seized and "torture cells" allegedly operated by the MQM were reported discovered. Hussain accused the Intelligence Directorate of masterminding the whole incident (Far East and Australasia 1995, p. 833).

Jan 1993 Pakistan has accepted the first group of 300 Bihari refugees from Bangladesh, after a wait of about two decades. While this repatriation partly fulfills a 1990 promise by the ruling IDA to repatriate all the refugees - about 250,000 - they are reported to be far from universally welcome. Native Sindhis, championed by the opposition PPP, see them as part of a long-running conspiracy by the Punjabi-dominated center to further swamp the southern province with outsiders. The native Sindhis are a minority in their own province, particularly in the major urban centers. Conscious of Sindhi sensibilities, the government has promised to house the refugees in Punjab. But few doubt that any fresh influx of Biharis, like their million-plus ethnic kinfolk who have illegally spirited their way into Karachi in the past five years, will eventually gravitate towards Sindh's urban centers. (The Guardian, 01/11/93). Army troops were called in to patrol the streets of Karachi and Hyderabad, to avert a possible ethnic backlash in the wake of four bomb blasts in Hyderabad that left 30 people dead and over 100 wounded. Rival ethnic groups called for protests against the bombing. Political leaders, including Ms. Bhutto, condemned the government's failure to maintain law and order. Police suspect that the Jaye Sindh, a nationalist group opposed to the immigration of urdu-speaking Biharis from Bangladesh, were involved in the bombings (AFP, 01/25/93).

Apr 1993 The Federal Minister of Defence Production Mir Bijrani announced his resignation from the federal cabinet. In the resignation letter, he cited the indifference of the coalition government of Prime Minister Sharif towards issues like stemming ethnic violence in Sindh, the apprehension of the native Sindhis toward the repatriation of Biharis from Bangladesh, and the under-representation of rural Sindhis in the federal services (Middle East Intelligence Report, 04/11/93). President Ghulam Khan has sacked the Sharif government and dissolved Parliament. This follows conflicts over power sharing between Khan and Prime Minister Sharif.

Oct 1993 Following three years as opposition leader, Benazir Bhutto has returned to power. Her PPP captured 86 of 207 seats in the National Assembly. Sharif's coalition won 72 seats. Ms. Bhutto also strengthened her hold in Punjab, the richest and most populous province, and her party, along with its allies, formed provincial governments in Punjab and Sindh. The MQM also revealed its strength during the elections. When Altaf Hussain, the leader of the major faction, called for a boycott of the national elections, voter turnout in Karachi was just under 7%. However, three days later, the MQM participated in the elections for the 109-member Sindh provincial assembly, winning 27 seats (Reuters, 05/29/94).

Jan 1994 Arrangements for a new census have reportedly been finalized. The former Sharif government started the process in 1991, but abandoned it half-way when a controversy arose in Sindh about the potential exaggeration of Mohajir numbers. In Sindh two major ethnic communities - Sindhis and Mohajirs - are engaged in a battle of claims and counterclaims about their population ratio. Both reject the existing census figures as totally off the mark (Economic Review, Pakistan, 01/94).

Jun 1994 In absentia, a Pakistani court sentenced the entire MQM leadership -- 19 leaders, including Altaf Hussain, to 27 years in prison each for kidnapping and torturing a military intelligence officer. The prosecution claimed that MQM leader Hussain's supporters had kidnapped Maj. Kaleem and his four assistants in June 1991 and had severely beat them up, allegedly on Hussain's order. Hussain went into exile in London more than two years ago to avoid arrest.

Nov 1994 The murder of Mansoor Chacha, the Deputy Secretary General of the MQM (H), along with his family, has sparked a new wave of violence in Karachi. At least 253 including 53 police officials were killed and 293 injured from Aug 1 to Oct 31, 1994. Sindh's Chief Minister S.A. Shah announced that the army would be withdrawn from the province by the end of the year. The military operation has apparently failed to end the violence and bring peace.

1995 Wrap-up: Political violence in Pakistan's largest city of Karachi claimed 2,052 lives in 1995, including 121 terrorists and 221 members of the security forces, according to police records. The MQM also called a total of 26 protest strikes in 1995, at an estimated cost to the national economy of the equivalent of 38 million dollars per day. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 12/31/95)

May 1995 At least 8 persons were killed and 14 wounded in violence in Karachi as a strike called by MQM paralysed Pakistan's largest city. Sources stated that one paramilitary ranger and two policemen were killed in drive-by shootings in the western and eastern districts. The mainstream MQM (A) faction called the strike to protest against what it calls repression by the security forces. More than 84 persons were killed in Karachi during May (Deutsche Presse-Agentur, 05/22/95).

Jul 1995 The MQM had indicated that it will hold a strike every weekend - Friday and Saturday - until its demands for more rights are met. Prime Minister Bhutto asserts that the violence is aimed at carving out a separate province for more than 8 million Mohajirs living in Karachi and Hyderabad (Deutsche Presse-Agentur, 07/01/95). Amnesty International has expressed concern with Prime Minister Bhutto's authorization to allow police to use "ruthlessness" when necessary to stem violence in Karachi (AFP, 07/05/95). Following the third round of talks between the government and the MQM which began on July 11, both sides agreed to stop issuing provocative statements (The Washington Times, 07/18/95). In a telephone interview with Asiaweek (07/28/95), MQM leader Hussain articulated the MQM demands: "We want Mohajirs to enjoy their fundamental rights in accordance with the population ratio... the government has discriminated against us socially, politically, economically and even in the field of education. Mohajirs make up more than 50% of the Sindh population, but our representation in the federal and provincial administration, the army and police is very small, probably 1%. Because of the gerrymandering of constituencies, Mohajirs have only 15 out of 45 National Assembly seats from Sindh, and 28 out of 100 seats in the provincial assembly, when we should have at least 50. Mohajirs contribute nearly 70% of the total tax revenue collected by the federal government. In Sindh, we provide more than 90% of the total provincial revenues. What do we get back in return? Not even 5% of the total revenues are spent on Karachi and other urban areas of Sindh." Following his return from talks with Hussain in London, opposition leader and ex-premier Nawaz Sharif said that Prime Minister Bhutto was playing "a double game" by pursuing talks, while simultaneously alleging that the MQM is a terrorist organization. Hussain indicated to Sharif that if talks with the government were abandoned, the MQM would chart its future course "in consultation with other opposition parties". Several opposition party members were also assembled in London with Sharif at the end of July. (Deutsche Press-Agentur, 07/31/95). Nearly a hundred participants at a two-day Seminar on "Karachi: Quest for a Way Out," organized by the non-governmental Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), called for the government to play a more active, sober and mature role in the peace-making process with the MQM. Public opinion also indicates that the government should take initiative (IPS, July 25, 95). There ware heated debates when Sindhi nationalists warned against any appeasement of the MQM. "If they only talk to those who give them bullets and corpses, we'll give them bullets and corpses," warned Rasool B. Palijo, President of the Sindhi Awami Tehrik (IPS, 07/25/95). The Seminar's "Karachi Declaration" called for holding polls in local bodies, one of the main grievances of the MQM. India's Minister for External Affairs P. Mukherjee described Pakistani charges of New Delhi's involvement in the continuing violence in Karachi as "absolutely baseless." He was asked to comment on allegations levelled by the Pakistani President and Premier Bhutto that Pakistan had "apprehended Indian-trained terrorists" in Karachi (News & Record, 07/25/95). Pakistan is preparing a formal extradition order for Javed Langhra, an MQM activist accused of operating a training camp near Lucknow in north India. Pakistan ordered the closure of the Indian consulate-general in Karachi last January, accusing its staff of involvement in the violence (Reuters, 07/24/95). Pakistan has canceled the publishing licenses of at least 122 newspapers and other publications in Karachi, an industry spokesman said (Reuters, 07/03/95). The move follows the recent suspension of six Urdu-language evening newspapers for alleged sensational reporting on violence in Karachi. Three people were killed and five wounded in separate incidents of violence in Karachi's District South, a stronghold of Baluch nationals who support Bhutto's ruling PPP. Violence has so far left more than 1,200 people dead this year, including around 270 in July alone.

Aug 1995 27 people, including a magistrate and his armed guard, were killed in Karachi in a fresh wave of violence. Authorities describe the violence as revenge killings for the recent death of Farooq Dada, whom authorities state was the head of a MQM terrorist squad. Dada and three accomplices were killed in a gunbattle with police near Karachi airport (AFP, 08/03/95). More than 2,000 have been killed in Karachi since January 1994. Negotiations between the government and the MQM deadlocked in early August when the MQM boycotted the fifth round of talks, saying the government team was not sincere (AFP, 08/04/95). The MQM objects to the government's referring to it as the "Altaf Group" after the name of its leader. MQM spokesman Dehlvi indicated that no talks would be held until the government begins to simply refer to the group as the MQM (AFP, 08/04/95). The MQM has also threatened to demand a separate province for Karachi if the talks fail. The government has issued 21 conditions in reply to 18 presented by the MQM. The government's chief negotiator, Law Minister N.D. Khan accused the MQM of failing to make clarifications on some issues, like Hussain's reported views on a regional confederation, the partition of 1947 and terrorism in Karachi. The government says it wants the MQM to first renounce violence and clarify its political policies before its complaints of discrimination can be tackled (Reuters, 08/03/95). But the MQM attributes unrest to what it calls Bhutto's anti-Mohajir policy. The party also wants fresh elections in Sindh, and the dropping of criminal charges against party leaders, including Hussain and others.

Sep 1995 Karachi police destroyed a torture cell of the Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Alataf Group (MQM-A). According to police, MQM-A extremists often kidnapped people for ransom or other purposes and many victims were tortured to death in similar cells. (Xinhua News Agency 9/3/95). The MQM launched a series of strikes to protest against the detention and "brutalising" of a female MQM activist, Seema Zarin, who was whisked away from her house by police and released after 16-hour interrogation during which she was beaten up. Interior Minister Naseerullah Babar said that that Zarin, 28, was running a prostitution den in collaboration with a wanted male MQM activist, and ordered security forces to “shoot on sight anyone seen with a weapon, or disrupting normal life.� The first strike left ten dead at the hands of the MQM, who also set at least a dozen cars on fire. A subsequent strike a week later killed five people. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 9/3/95 & 9/10/95, Agence France Presse 9/4/95 & 9/10/95 and United Press International 9/4/95). The MQM rejected power sharing arrangements with the Islamabad government during the seventh round of talks to negotiate peace in Karachi. It demanded the immediate end of siege and search operations in Karachi; withdrawal of security forces from residential districts; the withdrawal of criminal cases against MQM party leaders, MPs and workers; an increase in the community's quota of government jobs; and cash compensation for families of party members killed in security operations. (Agence France Presse 9/13/95). Bank employees closed 2000 branches of the Muslim Commercial Bank around Pakistan during a strike to protest the killing of bank union leader Usmani Ghani, an activist in the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) near Karachi airport. (Agence France Presse 9/18/95). MQM snipers killed three people while enforcing a daylong strike in Karachi to protest what it called "the indiscriminate arrests and inhuman treatment of Mohajirs during the past one month." The total death toll from the strike reached thirteen, with another twelve people injured. (United Press International 9/21/95 and Agence France Presse 9/21/95)

Oct 1995 The MQM called a general strike to protest the "extra-judicial killings" of MQM activists by the police. Prime Minister Bhutto, in reaction, accused India of training and supporting the MQM and offered to meet the group’s political demands if it would renounce terrorism. At least three people were found dead during the strike. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 10/1/95). A group of eight suspected members of the MQM stood outside the Sindh Province Secretariat for nearly 20 minutes, firing grenades at the office complex setting fire to the Secretariat building was set on fire and destroying the office of the Provincial Health Minister. Police believed the action was in revenge of Provincial Health Minister Shamim Ahman, who was a member of the MQM until he switched his allegiance to Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party the year before. (United Press International 10/9/95). Three detained activists of the opposition Mohajir Qaumi Movement ( MQM) were killed in Karachi. Interior Minister Naseerullah Babar charged the three were killed by party militants as they were leading the police to an arms cache, but the MQM and local residents claimed the three were shot by their police escort in cold blood. Pakistan's Human Rights Commission (HRCP) later charged the Islamabad government with extra-judicial killing in the affair, noting that the dead had been handcuffed and chained together and that not a single policeman died in the alleged shoot-out. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 10/10/95 & 10/19/95). MQM terrorists shot two people dead and wounded two children and four soldiers in a grenade attack on a security base during a protest strike. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 10/12/95). Army experts defused a 12-kilogram bomb planted in a car parked outside a police station in Karachi. Six people were killed in political violence the night before. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 10/26/95). The MQM called its fourth general strike at the end of the month to protest the death of one of their activists while in police custody. The MQM claimed he had died of torture. The two-day strike led to eight deaths. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 10/29/95 &11/1/95)
Nov 1995 In the largest massacre in recent history, MQM members kidnapped eight laborers and brought them to a house where they were executed with seven of the house’s occupants. The attack was suspected to be revenge for the killings and detentions of the anti-terrorist campaign being conducted in Karachi by Federal Interior Minister Naseerullah Babar (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 11/2/95). Pakistan deported approximately 150 Bengali migrants during the first phase of its crackdown on "illegal migrants." The Bengalis were blamed for causing unemployment, ethnic tension and political violence, and the government claimed that they had no work permits. The Bengalis claimed that they were living there legally and that their passports and papers had been seized in Karachi before their deportation. Pakistan also recently refused to take back 250,000 Urdu speaking Bihari migrants who had been waiting for repatriation in camps in Dhaka for the last 24 years. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 11/12/95). An anonymous official reported to United Press International that Pakistan removed 10,000 Mohajirs from the Karachi police force, either through transfers or forced retirement. The Mohajirs were recruited when the MQM was in power in the Sindh province. To check the increasing incidents of violence, the government decided to increase the number of police in Karachi from the current strength of 22,000 to 50,000 by July 1996. At the time, 11,000 paramilitary rangers worked in Karachi, in addition to the police. The government said it would withdraw the rangers once the police force's strength reaches 35,000. United Press International 11/16/95). Unidentified gunmen Thursday shot dead Ehsan Shah, the brother of Sindh Chief Minister Abdullah Shah, as he left his home in central Karachi. A passenger in Shah's car was also killed A car bomb exploded in another region of central Karachi, killing one man and wounding another. Officials suspected the MQM in the attacks. (United Press International 11/23/95). Three MQM activists were killed in a gun battle with police. The three were wanted in connection with several cases of murder and arson in the city. The police said the activists opened fire on police who were trying to arrest to them in Korangi, while the MQM said its members were killed in cold blood. (Agence France Presse 11/27/95)

Dec 1995 The MQM called its 23rd strike in 1995 to protest a police decision not to allow male mourners to the funeral of a victim of a police shooting, forcing female mourners to carry the coffin. The police said that male mourners could be seen in published newspaper photos of the funeral. Three people were killed in the night leading up to the strike. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 12/3/95). About 100 MQM supporters demonstrated outside the UN building in New York to bring attention to the plight of the Mohajir in Pakistan, especially in light of published reports of a government plot to assassinate Altaf Hussein, the MQM leader. (Inter Press Service 12/8/95). The MQM called a strike to protest the arrest of the brother and nephew of exiled MQM leader Altaf Hussein by the paramilitary Rangers. The Rangers denied arresting the two men. Their bodies were found the following day, prompting an investigation by Prime Minister Bhutto. Since neither of the men were politically involved, and Hussein’s brother was an elderly man, the MQM called the arrests a violation of human rights. (United Press International 12/9/95 and Xinhua News Agency 12/10/95). A united front of religious parties calling itself the Milli Yekjehati (national solidarity) Council (MYC), called a strike to encourage early elections. The main opposition Pakistan Muslim League party, and the MQM both supported the strike. (Agence France Presse 12/29/95)

Jan 1996 On New Year’s Day, MQM snipers killed 14 persons, including five law enforcers and five members of a family. Police claimed to have killed the five people responsible for the deaths of the two soldiers and two police officers the following day, stating that they were members of the Naeem Sherri group of the MQM. Relatives of those killed said that at least one of the alleged murderers had been in police custody for almost a month. The MQM called a strike to protest the "extra-judicial killings" of the five, leading to five new deaths and the burning of nine vehicles. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 1/1/96, 1/2/96 & 1/4/96). A bomb estimated to have contained 500 grams of TNT exploded in a parked motorcycle outside government offices in downtown Karachi. Two people were injured and eight motorcycles and a car were destroyed. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 1/2/96). Karachi police arrested Syed Yureed, one of the four terrorists who had killed Syed Ahsan Shah, brother of Sindh chief minister Syed Abdullah Shah. Yureed belonged to the MQM (Altaf group). Shah was shot dead by four gunmen outside his residence on November 23, 1995. (Xinhua News Agency 1/15/96). Unidentified men attacked the headquarters of a faction of the MQM with rocket-propelled grenades late Wednesday but no-one was hurt. The MQM Haqiqi accused the mainstream MQM of carrying out the attack, adding that the "Altaf group" was feeling threatened by Haqiqi's recent political successes. (Agence France Presse 1/18/96). The MQM called a strike to protest the deaths of four of its members by the police. The police had said the four died during a shootout but the MQM maintained the four died in police custody. Thirteen people were killed in shootouts between the police and the MQM in the night before the strike. (Deutsche Presse Agentur 1/21/96). Altaf Hussein called on members of his party to go underground to avoid "government harassment," claiming that "Benazir Bhutto and her government have decided to eliminate all Mohajir." (United Press International 1/25/96). Police in Karachi said that a handcuffed activist of the MQM was killed when he jumped from the second floor of a building to escape from police custody. An MQM leader said that the man was "tortured and thrown away by the police from the building." (Agence France Presse 1/26/96). A total of at least one hundred people died in clashes between the MQM and police in January, including 16 party activists killed in police custody. (Agence France Presse 1/29/96)

1996 Round-up: Five hundred members of the MQM were killed in 1996. (Agence France Presse 1/31/97)

Feb 1996 A senior MQM leader, Ajmal Dehlvi, announced that the MQM would lead strikes and boycotts during the February World Cup soccer games unless Pakistan’s government stopped arresting and killing MQM members. (Agence France Presse 2/2/96). Kunwar Khalid Yunus, leader of the MQM and a former member of Parliament, escaped police custody and requested asylum in the US embassy. He claimed that he had been tortured during his two years in custody on charges of murder. The US released him after Pakistan assured the US ambassador that he would not be tortured or killed. (United Press International 2/15/96). The MQM called for a strike to protest the killings of eleven of its members. Police claimed four of the men were killed in crossfire during a shootout, and the other seven killed during a raid on an alleged torture center for MQM dissidents. The MQM said that the eleven had died while in police custody. (United Press International 2/16/96). Prime Minister Bhutto offered to hold municipal elections - one of the MQM’s key demands - if the group would stop "killings" for six months. (Agence France Presse 2/24/96)

Mar 1996 Security forces killed MQM terrorist Naeem Sharry - the third most wanted MQM member - in a predawn raid on his Karachi hideout. The deaths of Sharry and another MQM member in the hideout prompted a general strike later that month. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 3/11/96 & 3/14/96)

Apr 1996 The MQM called a strike to protest the killing of six of its members in separate incidents in the previous week. About 250 people staged a demonstration against the strike outside the MQM office in the party stronghold of Azizabad. The demonstrators held the banner of Sindh Ittehad Tehrik (SIT) and were heavily protected by police. About 250 people have been killed in Mohajir political violence since Jan. 1, 1996. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 4/3/96). A bomb placed near the gas tank of an inter-city bus detonated near Lahore, Punjab province, killing 52 people. Prime Minister Bhutto had hinted that MQM terrorists fleeing the crackdown in Karachi might be responsible. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 4/28/96)
May 1996 The MQM called a strike to protest the killing of five of its members in a shootout the week before. A policeman was also killed in the shootout. An MQM office was attacked by unidentified persons days before. Two ambulances and a bus were also set ablaze. No casualties were reported. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 5/12/96). MQM leader Shoaib Bokhari ruled out any further peace talks with the Pakistani government until its conditions - withdrawal of paramilitary troops from Karachi, high-level judicial inquiries into "extrajudicial executions" of its supporters and an end to seize-and-search operations - were met. (Agence France Presse 5/20/96)

Jul 1996 At a rally in Karachi, Prime Minister Bhutto promised to release MQM members detained for urban terrorism but who were not charged with murder. Bhutto formed a committee to review the cases of all detained MQM activists to implement the promise. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 7/4/96). The MQM joined forces with 13 main and fringe parties including the fundamentalist Jamaat-I- Islami (JI) to launch an effort to remove Prime Minister Bhutto from power, accusing her of corruption, misrule and leading the country toward economic chaos. (Agence France Presse 7/24/96)

Aug 1996 Advertisements for mobile phones appeared Karachi. Mobile phones had been banned in July 1995, when the government suspected that the MQM was using them to coordinate attacks. Those applying for service would have to provide two references and their national tax and identity card numbers, which would also be submitted to the government. (London Financial Times 8/14/96). The government - in keeping with Bhutto’s promise - released 51 MQM militants not accused of murder on Pakistan’s Independence Day. Some people were upset, however, since the government had originally promised to release 137. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 8/15/96)

Sep 1996 The MQM called a strike to protest the killing of an MQM activist. Between fifteen and thirty MQM activists were detained during the strike, and one man was found dead. The organization called a second strike later the same week, after it claimed its lone female member was forced to join the PPP to save the life of her son, an MQM terrorist captured by police (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 9/8/96 & 9/14/96). Three bombs went off outside the government secretariat, the cargo centre of the national airline PIA and a market in the posh Defence residential area. Karachi, killing at least one person. Police suspected the MQM in the attacks. Murtaza Bhutto, the estranged brother of Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, later accused his sister of having planned the attacks as a pretext for a crackdown of his supporters ahead of local elections and possible snap polls. He was killed in a police shootout less than a week later. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 9/18/96 and Agence France Presse 9/20/96 & 9/22/96) Oct 1996 Feroza Begum, the MQM's only woman deputy in the provincial Sindh assembly, testified that she had been forced to change her party loyalty after her son Osama Qadri was arrested on charges of terrorism. She also testified to the harassment she received prior to her switch, and she and her son both made statements about the torture he received. (Agence France Presse 10/24/96)

Dec 1996 By this time, Pakistan's interim government had withdrawn 51 cases against former MPs and staff of the MQM who were arrested in police operations during deposed premier Benazir Bhutto's rule, they said. (Agence France Presse 12/18/96). MQM activists clashed with PPP members appearing at a Karachi court to support the candidacy of former interior minister Naseerullah Babar, leaving several people injured. Babar had launched repeated raids on the MQM while in office, but was being investigated for not paying taxes and concealing his assets. (Agence France Presse 12/28/96)

Jan 1997 Pakistan's caretaker government disbanded all special courts set up by previous governments for suppressing terrorist activities in Sindh. The government also terminated all special judges who were heading the courts. Some 21 special courts had been operating in Sindh province. Officials said cases pending in the special courts would be transferred to civil courts. Altaf Hussain, chief of the MQM, had been sentenced in absentia by a special court to 27 years in jail. (Agence France Presse 1/15/97). The Pakistani government released on parole three jailed senior leaders of the MQM: Farooq Sattar, a key leader of the MQM and former mayor of Karachi, in jail since April 1994 facing 78 criminal cases but still pending trial; senator Nasreen Jalil; and senator Aftab Sheikh. The releases were in advance of the February general elections. (Agence France Presse 1/20/97)

Feb 1997 At least three people were injured in scuffles that broke out as dozens of leaders and activists of MQM tried to enter a stronghold of a rival splinter faction, MQM -Haqiqi days before the Pakistani elections. (Agence France Presse 2/1/97). Three people were killed during fighting between MQM factions on election day. A total of nine people were later reported dead. The MQM and several other groups claimed that the elections were rigged. The MQM won 28 seats in the 109-seat Sindh assembly, which gave it the ability to join in the province’s government. It gained seven ministries and one of its members, Farooq Sattar, became provincial governor. (United Press International 2/3/97 and Agence France Presse 2/4/97, 2/19/97 & 3/13/97)

Apr 1997 Shoaib Bokhari, a senior MQM leader and provincial labor minister, filed a complaint with police in Karachi alleging that former Prime Minister Bhutto; Abdullah Shah, former chief minister of the southern Sindh province; former interior minister Naseerullah Babar; and three unnamed police officers were part of a conspiracy to kill the brother and nephew of MQM leader-in-exile Altaf Hussain. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 4/10/97). Afaq Ahmed, chairman of the Haqiqi faction of the MQM, survived an apparent assassination attempt when the two kilogram bomb fixed to a motorcycle exploded outside the house of a party leader gunned down the day before. The MQM denied responsibility. One person died and many others were injured in the blast. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 4/13/97)

May 1997 Unidentified gunmen sprayed bullets at a local office of the MQM, killing two and fatally wounding two others. The MQM blamed the Haqiqi splinter group for the attack. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 5/26/97)

Jun 1997 The headquarters of the MQM Haqiqi faction were sprayed by bullets, killing two people working there. A spokesman for the faction blamed the government, including the now-ruling MQM, noting that the attackers were wearing bulletproof jackets and had police protection. The incident launched a series of clashes between the MQM and the Haqiqi faction which cost thirty-one lives and a lot of property damage - including the political party offices of both factions - over the course of the week. By the end of the month, the violence had spawned an unofficial strike - closing down businesses in Karachi - and cost over sixty lives. The complete death toll for the February - June period in Karachi stood at 241, including 149 killed in 84 cases of "terrorism." (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 6/10/97 and Agence France Presse 6/16/97 & 7/4/97)

Jul 1997 Police in Karachi began cracking down on violence after Karachi power corporation chief, Malik Shahid Hamid and his driver and guard were shot dead on July 5. They arrested over 1,000 people, and offered a reward of one million rupees (250,000 dollars) for information leading to arrest of his killers. (Agence France Presse 7/10/97). Unidentified gunmen killed five people, including the sons of a deputy police superintendent who was part of the anti-terrorist operations in Karachi. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 7/11/97). At least four young boys were found dead, apparently killed on suspicion of being police informants. (London Times 7/12/97). Armed men on a motorcycle in Karachi opened fire and killed Asim Hussain of the MQM party and injuring his colleague. More than 400 people including 15 policemen died in Karachi since January. Police detained more than 2,000 people in a three-week campaign to curb lawlessness. (Agence France Presse 7/24/97). The Supreme Court asked officials of the federal and provincial governments to appear before it on August 1 with all the relevant records on the measures taken to combat terrorism and ethnic violence that has taken lives of at least 200 people since January. Following the court's offer, some 16 individuals and non- governmental organizations (NGOs) also registered themselves to assist the court. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 7/26/97)

Aug 1997 Four people including a man and his three-year-old daughter were killed in Karachi when armed men attacked armored personnel carriers and torched vehicles and shops in eastern Malir district. Tension flared in the area following the arrest of a number of people in a police anti-crime operation. Armed youths resorted to shooting in the air, then started stopping private cars and setting them on fire. Police said the arrests and raids on suspected hideouts were conducted to apprehend the killers of a police official, Bilal Jalali, slain by unidentified armed men. Family members of Jalali, who was related to M.A.Jalil, the head of the MQM, blamed rival MQM -Haqiqi activists for the killing. The group denied the charge. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 8/3/97). The Mohajir Qaumi Movement (MQM) changed its name to the Muttaheda Qaumi Movement with the aim of reaching beyond its immigrant roots and uniting the lower and middle classes into an organization. (Agence France Presse 8/4/97 and London Times 8/8/97). Aslam Kiyani, a deputy superintendent of police, was attacked in the eastern district of Malir as he stepped out of an armored personnel carrier. Kiyani, 56, was shot in the chest and died on the spot. (Agence France Presse 8/4/97). Pakistan's Supreme Court decided to form a bigger bench comprising at least three judges to investigate the deteriorating security of Karachi. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 8/5/97). Over twenty people were killed in sporadic violence during the month.

Oct 1997 At least three people were killed and six vehicles torched as unrest erupted in Karachi. The dead included two political activists and the guard of a senior police official. The trouble started after an activist of the MQM Haqiqi, was found shot dead in the city's eastern Kornagi district. (Agence France Presse 10/2/97)

Nov 1997 Masked gunmen sprayed a van with automatic weapons, killing four and injuring nine others. Police linked the attack to a continuing struggle between activists of Jeay Sindh, an extremist group of native Sindhis, and a rival faction from the Muttaheda Qaumi Movement ( MQM). (Agence France Presse 11/6/97). At least three people were killed in fierce gun-battles between masked activists of rival ethnic groups in eastern Karachi. Witnesses said paramilitary troops and police in armored vehicles had cordoned off the area and intensified patrolling in narrow streets. Police linked the violence to continuing rivalry between activists of Jeay Sindh, an extremist group of native Sindhis, and the Muttehida Qaumi Movement ( MQM) of Urdu-speaking settlers and its splinter faction. The MQM factions however denied they were involved in violence. (Agence France Presse 11/10/97)

Dec 1997 At least four people were killed in a wave of violence in the eastern Korangi district of Karachi. The problem started when an activist of the MQM was kidnapped and shot dead by a rival faction. Another activist of the same group was kidnapped and killed, and his body was thrown out two hours later. This sparked the violence and rival factions exchanged fire in different localities. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 12/6/97)

Jan 1998 About 1,000 ethnic Biharis who claimed to be Pakistani citizens demonstrated in Dhaka, Bangladesh, near the venue of the economic talks with Pakistani flags, urging Sharif to allow them to reunite with their Mohajir cousins in Karachi. Most Biharis opted for retaining their Pakistani nationality after East Pakistan seceded and became an independent country. But analysts said the repatriation of the Biharis was bogged down by fears among successive Pakistani governments of upsetting the delicate ethnic balance in Sindh province. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 1/17/98)

Feb 1998 Unidentified gunmen sprayed bullets at a vehicle in which workers of the MQM Haqiqi faction were traveling, killing two. The incident triggered tension in the poor neighborhood of Landhi and police in armored vehicles intensified patrolling in the area. (Agence France Presse 2/1/98). A superior Pakistani court acquitted Altaf Hussain and his 18 colleagues facing charges of kidnapping an army officer. A two-judge bench of the Sindh High Court on a legal challenge also overturned Hussain's 27 years imprisonment ordered by a special Suppression of Terrorist Activities (STA) court. He and the 18 MQM men were implicated in the 1991 abduction and alleged torture of Major Kaleem Omar. The MQM leader was convicted in absentia by the special court on June 9, 1994 during former premier Benazir Bhutto's government. (Agence France Presse 2/6/98). Activists of the MQM and Pashtu-speaking Pathans fought each other and police in various parts of the port city as a partial strike was being observed at the request of Pathan elders to consider the kidnapping of Rifat Afridi from an Urdu-speaking residential area. Police said one person was killed when an Urdu-speaking youth attacked a passenger bus, while another, a Pathan from northern Pakistan, was killed in a clash between Pathans and Urdu-speaking protesters. The Mohajir man charged with kidnapping the woman claimed that she had eloped with him of her own will, a claim she later substantiated. Ethnic Pathans shot the man on his way to court a month later. (Japan Economic Newswire 2/11/98, and Agence France Presse 2/26/98 & 3/4/98). Attackers, armed with automatic weapons and riding in a cab, sprayed people sitting and chatting outside their homes with bullets. The attackers fled the scene of the bloodbath. The violence appeared to be the result of fighting between the rival factions of the ethnic Urdu-speaking community, with the mainstream Muttahida Qaumi Movement ( MQM) saying five of the victims were its workers. The MQM accused activists of the rival Mohajir Qaumi Movement of being behind the carnage, a charge which the group denied. Iqbal Qureshi, leader of the Mohajir Qaumi Movement, termed the attack sectarian as the incident took place near a Sunni sect mosque. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 2/22/98)

Mar 1998 The ethnic Mohajir Qaumi Movement led by Afaq Ahmad ( MQM -A) staged demonstrations in the eastern Landhi-Korangi district of Karachi to protest the overnight mass arrest of its workers. Police arrested more than 150 MQM activists in connection with a fresh wave of factional fighting and violence which killed 20 people, including six workers of a rival MQM, in 10 days. MQM -A is a rival to the mainstream MQM of self-exiled Altaf Hussain. Altaf Hussain had threatened from his exile in London to break away from the government coalition unless the government hauled up the MQM -A activists for killing his partymen. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 3/1/98). At least 19 people belonging to rival factions of the MQM were shot to death by unknown assailants. Angry youths set ablaze 12 vehicles and set fire to roads in various parts Karachi. In one incident, four armed men riding in a car sprayed four activists of the Afaq Ahmed-led Mohajir Qaumi Movement with gunfire while they were sitting outside their party office in eastern Malir-Saudabad district. All of the activists were killed on the spot. Among the four was a central leader of the faction. Later his house was also raided and two of his cousins killed in a similar manner. Both the mainstream MQM and the Haqiqi faction called a strike and day of mourning for their activists slain in the actions. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 3/23/98 & 3/24/98). At least two people were killed and 20 wounded in two explosions in Karachi. The first bomb exploded in a wooden stall below a five-story residential building called Kashif Manzil in the Ayesha Manzil area of the city. One of the 13 wounded from that blast died later in the hospital. The second bomb, also placed in a wooden stall, exploded behind the crowded Mina Bazar shopping center in the Karimabad area of the same district. No one has claimed responsibility for the blasts and police refused to speculate, but the explosions were close to the party headquarters of the MQM. (Leicester Mercury 3/31/98)

Apr 1998 Two MQM activists were killed when unknown assailants attacked a pre-marriage ceremony at an office of the party in Central Nazimabad district of Karachi. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 4/2/98). The Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief, Mr. Altaf Hussain, alleged that activists of the MQM were being made targets of “state oppression� while criminal elements of his rival MQM Haqiqi were being “backed openly.� (The Hindu 4/3/98). Unidentified assailants in Karachi shot dead two political activists, identified as Sohaib Khan and Mohammad Umar, of the MQM -Haqiqi. The MQM -Haqiqi faction blamed the killings on the mainstream MQM, which denied the charge. (Agence France Presse 4/8/98)

May 1998 At least seven people were killed in an armed attack near MQM headquarters in eastern Landhi district of Karachi. Those killed include three leaders of the breakaway MQM faction who were attacked while sitting outside a house, MQM spokesman said. Three more people, including a woman, were killed when a passenger bus was attacked in the Korangi area of the same districts. Another fell victim of firing in Malir area. The violence continued through the first half of June, and the death toll exceeded 60. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 5/27/98 and Agence France Presse 6/16/98)

Jun 1998 After over three weeks of deaths, including sometimes daily shootings and several bombings, police crack down on violence in Karachi. Those rounded up included activists and supporters of Muttahida Qaumi Movement ( MQM) party and its breakaway MQM -Haqiqi faction and other political groups. A police official said some of the detainees were released after questioning. The violence continued, and spread to Rawalpindi. The Pakistani government blamed Indian terrorist agents for the violence; the MQM blamed a new government sponsored MQM faction that was designed to weaken the movement as a whole. (Agence France Presse 6/19/98 & 6/21/98 and Deutsche Presse-Agentur 6/20/98 & 6/21/98). The killing of fifteen people - all MQM workers or supporters - led Karachi businesses to close for two days. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 6/25/98). The Pakistan Moslem League (PML) and the MQM passed a unanimous resolution in the Sindh parliament urging Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif not to impose governor's rule in the province. The resolution came amid growing fears that a breakdown in law and order in Karachi, and vendetta killings of over 100 people in less than a month would force the federal government to impose governor's rule. Governor's rule would have meant immediate suspension of the provincial government as well as of the provincial legislative assembly for a period of six months, extendable if the federal government deemed necessary. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 6/25/98). A total of 140 people died in Karachi in June. (Agence France Presse 7/1/98)

Jul 1998 Both the MQM and the MQM-Haqiqi faction condemned the police after over 150 people were arrested in a crackdown on violence in Karachi. The provincial government called on police reinforcements from other areas to further strengthen the existing force of 25,000 police and 8,500 paramilitary troops in the city. (Agence France Presse 7/1/98). The MQM announced its opposition to Pakistani government plans to send paramilitary Rangers to Karachi to help stem the violence in the city. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 7/3/98). The self-exiled MQM chief, Altaf Hussain, said he feared a crackdown against MQM by the security forces and ordered his men to go into hiding. (Agence France Presse 7/9/98). The Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi called a commercial and transport strike to condemn alleged "terrorism" of the mainstream party and arrests of Haqiqi workers. Armed groups went on the rampage, torching a total of 24 vehicles in two days. (Agence France Presse 7/18/98). Police found the bodies of two off-duty soldiers, who had been kidnapped while shopping. Gunmen shot dead a policeman in an apparent target killing as a manhunt began for the killers of two Pakistan soldiers. The killers were unknown, though many members of the MQM were picked up as suspects. (Agence France Presse 7/27/98)

Aug 1998 Gunmen killed at least 13 people and wounded eight in two separate drive-by shooting incidents in Karachi's central North Nazimabad district. The more serious incident occurred outside a shopping-residential complex where armed men riding in two cars opened fire on youths sitting there. MQM sources claimed the dead, who belonged to their party, had been targeted. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 8/12/98). Two gunmen on a motorbike stopped a bus, ordered two people out and sprayed them with bullets in the eastern Shah Faisal Colony area. Police said the two belonged to MQM -Haqiqi. (Agence France Presse 8/13/98). A cabinet minister of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqi resigned from his office in protest at what the MQM termed "the government's failure to provide security to its supporters," a key component in the MQM’s joining the Sharif government after 1997 election. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 8/14/98). Gunmen sprayed bullets at schoolchildren celebrating Pakistan’s independence day, leaving seven children aged 10-12 injured, and youths torched five vehicles in Karachi. The MQM blamed the Haqiqi faction for the violence; the latter blamed infighting within the MQM (Agence France Presse 8/14/98). At least eight people were killed during an MQM day of mourning for its victims of violence earlier in the week. Those slain included three policemen, two in Karachi and another in Hyderabad, 160 kilometers to the northeast. Another 25 people, including five policemen and a paramilitary ranger, were injured in the violence. Armed youths also torched 55 vehicles. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 8/15/98). The MQM -Haqiqi accused police of "executing" two party activists during raids, saying officers colluded with the rival MQM. Police denied the charge. (Agence France Presse 8/24/98). The MQM ended its alliance with the Pakistan Muslim League in the parliament of Sindh province, and all its members resigned. Party leaders said the decision to break with the ruling party was taken after MQM sympathizers were arrested on "concocted charges" of torching the national flag and desecrating portraits of the country's founding father, Mohammad Ali Jinnah. The PML was mathematically unable to govern without its alliance with the MQM. (Agence France Presse 8/26/98). Seven people, all MQM supporters, were shot down in various locations around Karachi. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 8/31/98)

Sep 1998 The MQM agreed to resume support for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's ruling Pakistan Muslim League at national and provincial level. (Agence France Presse 9/21/98). A Pakistani court issued an arrest warrant for the exiled chief of the MQM on charges of attempted murder and arson. He was charged in a case in which a policeman and a passer-by were injured on April 30, 1994. (Agence France Presse 9/21/98)

Oct 1998 Business and shopping centers in central north Nazimabad district remained closed following the murder of a mainstream MQM party worker. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 10/3/98). Seven people, including a leader of the mainstream MQM, were killed in Karachi after being ambushed near southern New Chali area by motorcycle gunmen who fled undetected. Another MQM activist was shot dead in central Buffer Zone area. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 10/5/98). The MQM enforced a mourning-day that turned into a general strike in Karachi and other major cities and towns in southern Pakistan. Gunmen opened fire on police and paramilitary rangers in the central district and injured three personnel. Youths also burnt tires on main streets in the city. Two policemen were among five people shot to death in southern and eastern Karachi overnight. A total of 11 people were killed and more than 70 vehicles were burnt in Karachi in two days. Over 800 people had been killed by violence in Karachi by early October. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 10/7/98). The MQM said some of its members had been arrested over the murder of Hakim Mohammed Saeed, a prominent Muslim cleric and former governor of Sindh. They claimed the PML was trying to implicate them in the murder in retribution for MQM's refusal to support a government. Islamic law enforcement bill in the parliament. One suspect in the murder, whom the MQM initially stated was not one of its members, died in police custody. The MQM later claimed the man, who had been tortured, was in fact one of their activists. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in fact accused MQM activists of the murder two days later. The MQM quit the governing coalition in response. (Agence France Presse 10/26/98, 10/28/98 & 10/30/98 and Deutsche Presse-Agentur 10/29/98). The Pakistani government suspended the provincial assembly in the troubled Sindh province and placed the region under direct federal rule. Prime Minister Sharif said in a televised speech that the decision had been taken to curb lawlessness and fight terrorism in Sindh. Alataf Hussein, responding to the action, urged MQM members to go into hiding. (Agence France Presse 10/30/98). One person was killed and five others injured in a renewed factional feud in Karachi as scores of women protested against the overnight crackdown of the paramilitary forces against "terrorists" in the city. Police said activists of the mainstream MQM and its rival Haqiqi faction exchanged fire in eastern Korangi district hours after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif imposed governor's rule in the southern Sindh province. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 10/31/98)

Nov 1998 Several people were injured when Pakistani police fired tear gas shells to disperse activists of the MQM-Haqiqi who had gathered for a convention in violation of an official ban. Five leaders including Badar Iqbal, vice-chairman of the MQM -Haqiqi, were arrested as hundreds of slogan-chanting activists blocked the road and threw stones. Angry youths burned tires on the roads in protest as hundreds of policemen continued to occupy the venue. The governor of Sindh province said the authorities had refused to give permission for the MQM -Haqiqi public meeting for law and order reasons. (Agence France Presse 11/1/98). Dozens of women supporters of factions of the ethnic Mohajir party staged protest rallies against raids and arrests, which were dispersed by the police in eastern and southern districts of Karachi. Over 300 people - mostly members of the MQM - had been detained for questioning since the governor's rule was imposed. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 11/3/98). A British newspaper claimed that Pakistan was planning to press for the extradition of Altaf Hussain on charges of involvement in 50 murders and 150 cases of kidnapping and arson in a wave of political violence that claimed 6,000 lives in Karachi and the surrounding areas of Sindh province in the past six years. If Britain refused, the paper said Pakistan would press for Hussain’s conviction under a British law recently passed law makes it a criminal offense to plan or instigate terrorist acts abroad from British soil. (Agence France Presse 11/7/98). Anti-terrorist police seized arms and ammunition including Kalashnikov rifles, two rocket propelled grenades and a rocket launcher from a car of suspected MQM terrorists. (Agence France Presse 11/12/98). Pakistani authorities sealed off the Sindh provincial assembly building. Though the earlier imposition of the governor’s rule had not officially closed the assembly, it had rendered their gatherings moot. Around 50 deputies from the MQM and the main opposition Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP) of former premier Benazir Bhutto were barred from entering the assembly. Police threatened to arrest anyone who attempted to enter. (Agence France Presse 11/16/98). Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif announced the establishment of special military courts to speed up terrorism trials. The authorities had arrested 490 "hardened criminals" since the imposition of direct rule. Most of those arrested belong to the MQM. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 11/20/98). Pakistani police arrested five activists of the MQM, including two members of the provincial Sindh assembly, and recovered arms from them. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 11/21/98). Police said criminal cases had been filed against hundreds of activists of the MQM as well as its 17 deputies in the Sindh provincial assembly and federal parliament including the Senate (upper house) since 1992. The MPs had been previously arrested in 1994 when Benazir Bhutto was premier and were released on parole after their party joined hands with Prime Minister. Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League (PML) in 1997. Their temporary bail terminated in October and was not extended. The MQM accused the government of trying to eliminate the party. (Agence France Presse 11/22/98). Amnesty International expressed its concern over the installation of military courts in Karachi and the threat to human rights that they implied.. (M2 Presswire 11/24/98). Mubashir Ali, a travel agent charged with arranging the travel of two suspects in the October 17 slaying of former governor Hakim Mohammad Saeed,, died while in police custody. The police, who blamed Saeed’s death on the MQM, claimed Ali had had a heart attack. (Agence France Presse 11/29/98). Liaqat Hussain, an MP from the MQM, petitioned the Supreme Court to strike down a government decision to set up military courts in Karachi to try civilians accused of terrorism. (Agence France Presse 11/30/98)

Dec 1998 Militants allegedly belonging to the MQM armed with light machine guns and Kalashnikov rifles opened heavy fire on the police, injuring seven people including four police. Militants also opened fire on a local police station, but no injuries were reported in the attack. A police crackdown, with curfew-like conditions, ensued after the attack. (Agence France Presse 12/6/98). Police searching for 200 alleged terrorists, whom they claimed were being sheltered by the MQM, began raids in the Punjabi towns of Behra and Kalar Kehar. (Agence France Presse 12/8/98). A military court handed down death sentences to four persons who were found guilty of terrorism and murder. The four were charged with attacking a police party in June 1998 in which three policemen were killed. Eleven others involved in the same case were still at large. Police said those convicted were illegal immigrants from Bangladesh who moved to Karachi for economic reasons. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 12/19/98)

Jan 1999 Seven activists from the MQM, including three provincial deputies, were tried by Pakistan military courts on murder charges. They became the first MQM activists to face trial by military courts since the government introduced the tribunals in December. (Agence France Presse 1/2/99). A bomb apparently meant for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif detonated under a bridge, killing four and injuring three. Police alternately put the MQM and Indian terrorists at the top of their suspect list. A British newspaper later positively tied the bomb to the MQM. (Agence France Presse 1/4/99 & 1/17/99). Pakistani police dismantled a key terrorist hideout in central Karachi and arrested six people after a tense hostage drama and a gun-battle in which a police informant died. Police seized seven Kalashnikov assault rifles, three pistols and a light machine gun (LMG) with hundreds of rounds from the building. (Agence France Presse 1/9/99). The Supreme Court supported a petition opposing the withdrawal of the powers of the assembly's Speaker by the Sindh governor in November. It restored the Speaker's power to call a session. (Agence France Presse 1/12/99). Afzal Anwar, a member of the Sindh provincial assembly belonging to the MQM, was arrested at his home and charged with the murder of an activist from Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party. He was the third MQM provincial deputy to be arrested since the imposition of on Sindh on October 30. The MQM claimed that Pakistan was trying to eliminate it. (Agence France Presse 1/22/99). Great Britain granted political asylum and residency to Alataf Hussain, the exiled MQM leader, prompting an angry response from Pakistan. (Agence France Presse 1/24/99). The Pakistani government under Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif charged the country's largest Urdu language newspaper and two other newspapers with sedition. The charge against Jang, the Amn, and the Parcham follows an advertisement placed by the MQM seeking donations for "victims of police excesses" to compensate those "killed, tortured or victimized by the police and other security agencies during their crackdown against the party." The Jang Group of Papers, which published Jang, the largest and most influential Urdu language paper, was also in the midst of a dispute is with the government over alleged income tax evasion. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 1/30/99). Pakistani President Rafiq Tarar issued a decree allowing the government to set up military courts anywhere in the country following their "successful performance" in Karachi. MQM and human rights activists accused the government of pursuing a policy of political victimization through a parallel judicial system. However, political observers felt that more than fighting terrorism in Punjab and elsewhere, the ordinance was meant to rein in MQM's chief, Altaf Hussain, as it provided for trial by a military court in absentia. The Supreme Court was still in the process of deciding whether the military courts in Karachi were legal, and had suspended all military-court imposed executions pending their decision. (Deutsche Presse-Agentur 1/31/99) Feb 1999 All Pakistan's political parties excluding the prime minister's Muslim League participated in a mammoth Press Freedom March held simultaneously in the capital city Islamabad and Karachi to protest the government’s closure of Jang Group newspapers. The January closure had also sparked comments from international human rights organizations and journalists. (Inter Press Service 2/10/99). Around 200 relatives of policemen killed in violence in Karachi marched through the city demanding the public execution of terrorists involved in the killings. Carrying placards and portraits of those killed, they chanted slogans against "terrorists" belonging to the MQM party. They also called for compensation for those killed in Karachi, where the violence has claimed more than 3,500 lives during the last three years. (Agence France Presse 2/13/99). The Pakistani Supreme Court ruled that special military courts set up by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to crack down on terrorism in Karachi were illegal. In a unanimous, verdict the nine- judge court ordered that cases pending in military courts be transferred to existing anti-terrorism courts or other courts to be established within the law. (Agence France Presse 2/17/99)

M

Re: # 35
Not being an insider on MQM I can tell you that a great number of people are missing, while numerous people were killed brutally to the extent that they escaped being put through beef grinder otherwise their remains were severed with sharp objects in a manner alike choice beef cuts, their remains at times multiple remains were placed in burlap bags and left at various places along the city.
The brother of someone personally known to me who had nothing to do with politics or MQM was killed in broad daylight only because he was a speaker of Urdu language.
Police under Suddle at the time was on the killing rampage and were instead of arresting speakers of Urdu were target killing them left and right and then calling it "police muqabla". It came to the extent that various Urdu speaking families found it necessary to move their youth outside Karachi and sent them to other provinces while the then Punjab govt. as they came across began returning (deporting) these Pakistani subjects back to their home town. I am sure you must be aware of the murder of Altaf's brother and nephew who were ruthlessly murdered in the premises of chief minister house and their remains in forms of pieces were placed in burlap and left to rot.
Numerous youth were kidnapped and disappeared in the ghetto of famous Sohrab Goth while their fate remains unknown.
There was a massive killing that rounds up to the given number while I can try to research if it can be substantiated.
In most neighborhoods of Karachi residents installed gates to prevent attacks by those who were pursuing ethnic cleansing operations and to maintain peaceful environment in each neighborhood, "military" and police authorities used armored vehicles to demolish the gateways which was intercepted by the people of neighborhoods resulting in killing of unarmed civilians by the military, consequently turning the people of Karachi against military and police authorities resulting in even further clashes and cold blooded killing.

More to follow in the next post.

But anyway, I would like to ask the author (or someone else if the author isn't posting), what is this 20,000 sacrifice figure? Where did this come from? Are there any mass graves of which I am not aware? Or are there missing persons?

Much obliged, thanks.

#30 Posted by rf786 Re: # 28

70% club??

The club which believes fervently that Karachi provides 70% of everything to the rest of Pakistan. I.e. 70% of GDP, Revenue, Employment etc etc .... Forgot our debates? You're a member too !!! And the chairman of the 70% club is the iLogger Tazeen!

This 70% of everything is the fiction created by MQM to embed the victimisation sob-story in the Urdu Speaking Karachiite mind - and they actually swallow it lock stock & barrel.

While in fact, I had proven beyond doubt with data and charts that all that Karachi provides a full 70% of is TLWs.

Now don't ask me what's a TLW!

Re: # 30 rf786
Hazzi Club 70% bil'nisbah Sayeen Zardari'O fasidoon.
Maafi kuwais bil'nisbah shurfaa.
Walahi kulu arkaan fasidoon ala'tool, mafi wahid shughal kuwais min arkaan club 70%, kulu la'ab.

Ma'as salamah.

Re: # 28
Oh well I would never choose to be a member of a club that is defined with % in it's name, just to the fact that the only person around in Pakistan who is defined by sliding scale % is the one & only Adha Zaradari, sayeen woh apna sayeen haye na, wohi.
In other terms so far I have qualified myself as a bonafide member of 50+ club that is if there is such a club otherwise one at this stage becomes a living club by himself as long as one can escape the "clubs" charged by Police batons :)
No Zee I am not a member of that club dont know what the future holds.
Thanks for asking though and I suppose you are not a promoter of such a % club, just kidding :)
Best wishes.

To Mr. Ahmer Muzammil,

I am a proud MQM supporter and yes, their mandate in Karachi is indeed real. Make no mistake, Karachi Loves MQM.

MQM believes in an independent judiciary. Altaf Hussain recently made a statement saying that either all PCO Judges are In or all PCO Judges are Out.

I think that is a very principled stance.

Saying Chaudry Iftikhar is a hero because he defied Musharraf is crap.

He would have been a hero if he had defied PCO. He didn't and so he's no hero. He's an opportunist.

He's an opportunist because had he been a supporter of an independent judiciary he would not have taken a PCO oath. Now when his job was on the line, he decided to defy Musharraf and get support from opposition parties.

As for your ethnic bullshit about the name Chaudry - for your information MQM has Punjabis, Balochis, Sindhis and Pathans in it's party leadership.

The only difference between MQM and other parties is MQM does not rely on powerful industrialists, feudals and landowners for it's power. It relies on the people's mandate.

Look at Mustafa Kamal's leadership. Look at what he has done for Karachi. Now imagine if MQM was in charge of Pakistan government - how much work it would do.

Just give MQM a chance my friend. We can transform this nation into the strongest economy of the world.

Trust me, I as a Karachiite have no grudge against people of any ethnicity. I want a United Pakistan as much as You Do.

Pakistan Zindabad!

Re: # 28

Zeemax

70% club?? shoo haaza?

=== Interact Filtered ===
view this users filtered interacts

MatloobZaman,

Are you a member of the 70% club?

Run zardari run, run bhutto run.

The jihadis are knocking at the gates of karachi, the jihadis from fata are moving in.
////////////////////

Asif’s chief security officer gunned down in Karachi



By Tahir Siddiqui


KARACHI, July 22: Khalid Shahanshah, the chief security officer of PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari, was assassinated on Tuesday afternoon outside his Clifton residence, police and witnesses said.

They said that gunmen on a white car sprayed him with a volley of bullets while he was stepping off his double-cabin vehicle in front of his house at Khyaban-i-Bukhari.

Re: # 9
"cannot never" in the same sentence = Ever and Always, but what is so threatening about MQM if it is so weak, why should everyone be so concerned to challenge the existence of MQM every moment of the day and every step of the way.
Karachi has been victimized alright in all manners and by everyone who comes with the aspiration "mein shehr jaraya haan", no one was turned back or discouraged from this land of opportunity.

MQM was there, will be there with or without Musharaf.
It was the victimization of the Karachites that brought about the creation of MQM; the masacre of Orangi Town, the drug trafficking and marketing of Sohrab Goth open air drug market and the cafe of you know what? Sohrab Goth. aka Bara aka "illaqa ghair" as in FATA and a lot more to the list.
A refuge for murderers and criminals, bus drivers involved in fatal crashes sought refuge there, kidnappers and hijackers paradise and a lot more.

MQM picked up arms when criminals from other parts of Pakistan established their ghettos and began ransacking Karachi and challenging Karachites with automatic weapons.

Those who do not know the reason for the birth of MQM should first educate themselves on the history extending into early 80's and if they are sincere in their approach they will find the answers since, MQM is charged with returning in kind to those who aspire to destroy Karachi and it's citizens.

Those who envy the development of Karachi forget that it is a major city of Pakistan among others not to mention if (and a BIG if) an honest census like survey is conducted, majority of the people working in Karachi are not originally from Karachi, the transporters, factory workers, cobblers, carpenters, the police force, skilled and unskilled labor found in Karachi is ethnically from other regions of Pakistan and they have always gained from Karachi not lost anything, so why envy the progress of Karachi? instead of taking pride in their participation and contribution towards the progress of Karachi.
It would be another thing if any of such people who became economic refugees in Karachi seek to displace based on their hatred and aspirations to take over.

MQM has legitimate reasons to establish as an organization, it has sincere intentions towards the progress and upkeep of Karachi, this should not pose any threat to anyone, however if challenged with power it is prepared to face it with equal and opposite reaction although would like to avoid any such perpetration.

Re: # 4
Sharifs modernized Punjab with (Airports, Highways, Irrigation, Education, Health, Police) Projects etc. etc. etc.
Nothing happened in the last 8-9 years while they were vacationing in the Saudi palaces.
Sounds like a round of Such Gup as per Shoaib Hashmi

Re: # 3Jayp
This proves that Indians are the ones who are harboring terrorists.
You seem to know a lot about them terrorist errorists!!
Tell us more about the plans.

Re: # 5 fkureshy
Mr. Kureshy, we the Pakistanis get tired of each and every one who is in power for over five years.
We admire the hoopla of election campaigns and the consequent circulation of wealth it brings, to "some".
We anticipate that if our buddy gets elected we will be able to do all that we did not even dream in our lives before, be it against the laws if there are any.
It is worthy to consider limiting the power to one five year term, so that we can have a new govt in power every five, this way we will never be out of transitions and all those who speculate personal benefit shall thrive too.

Re: # 20
Come on now Rangeela jee, these typos and spellbound spell checks do happen!

In as much as dragging Fatima Jinnah into petty politics of Pakistan is concerned that was the most dishonoring act of those who brought her to an arena where she did not belong; and then those miscreants who used to display the lantern such as Ali Kausar of Peeli-Bheet Lalu-Khet, Ali Mukhtar Rizvi and many others were well known ghundas/hoodlums of the given era who were responsible for all that took place in the aftermath back then.

(Late)Mustafa Zaidi also said:

in he patharoan pay chal kay agar aa'sako tou aao
meray ghar kay rastay mein koi kehkashan nahin haye

Yeah I do believe it is his poetry and verse, not Shehnaz Gul's(the once air-hostess who was the prime suspect of his cold blooded murder).

Regarding Chaudhry Iftikhar the Ex-CJ of SCP, how evident it is that he is not a Judicial character but a sneaky aspiring politician who wanted to use the highest office of judiciary in Pakistan opting to be a Political Designer in Pakistan to bring his political dreams come true,with Nawaz Not-So Sharif to be placed in power and Chaudhry to take over the Judiciary definitely balances the equation in none other than the most corrupt way one can think of.

Chaudhry who claims to be incumbent CJ by his own virtue, while being aware that there are pending matters in the SCP against Zardari however, speculating that Zardari may consider restoring him with Supreme Judicial powers took the most inappropriate step to personally visit Zardari while on the other hand, he refused to accept the greetings of those who claimed to be victims of the Lal Masjid dilemma and who personally visited his residence once he was removed from house arrest! stating that he cannot accept the greetings or see anyone that has matters pending in the judiciary, how jurisprudential of him.

Talking about Nawaz not-so-Sharif, he happens to be the one who was born as a result of a military dictator Zia Ul Haq who carved, crafted and ornamented him leaving behind a successor, a successor who was principally and primarily a participant in those 20,000 deaths of young ones of Karachi consequent to the military operation initiated by him.

Dogar is Punjabi tribe in the Punjab region of Pakistan.
The question that comes to mind is, does everyone necessarily have to be an Urdu Speaking Mohajir in order to be part of a ruling administration of Pakistan or for that matter Sindh or Karachi?

Whether it be 2008 or 2800, one must thank everyone they know or feel have been regardful, acknowledging, providing, recognizant, helping alleviating or assisting in any manner, had people considered to the simple practice to acknowledge and thank someone who is nice to them, Pakistan would have been a much better place, and free from the "might is right" culture, it is a shame that we fail to acknowledge those who are nice to us and instead believe that any nice act extended is our right. We need to began to distinguish between rights and privilege.

It was the greatest dis-service for the people of Pakistan to have dragged Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah into the dirty feudal politics of Pakistan, even if she was elected to office, she was a lady deserving much more dignity than that.

Its high time for the people to pick up, brush off the dirt on their clothes and knees, exchange an smile with each other regardless of their regional or ethnic loyalties or lineage and move on to the right path, the path that leads to a stable and secure Pakistan and leads us away from the blame game. Otherwise we should be prepared to become the Toilet Paper of US and other cronies claiming to be some sizeable power in this world because US has one straight policy and that dictates using anyone and everyone as a toilet paper and flush it when it is used up.

There are good bad and ugly characters in every society and every segment of the society, be it administrators, politicians, judicial officers, people of armed forces or any segment, only due to a few army officials corrupt attitudes and practices, we cannot stereotype the entire army as such while we know and it is a fact that the majority of our armed forces personnel is extremely loyal, sincere and dedicated, we should not be prejudiced ourselves nor should we create such a bias among others.

Aitezaz(a murderer of many protesting women in Hyderabad, Sindh while in power) who left PPP back then attempted to join again and was told by Nusrat Bhutto to go to ZAB's grave site and seek his permission because she did not feel that he(Aitezaz) is credible enough to come back to PPP. He is nothing more than a "thali ka baigan"

The mention of Jehangir Road (Patel Para) also brings another sad event of the 70's to mind as it reminds of the lingual riots where Mumtaz Bhutto thought that he would kidnap Urdu like Abdul Waheed Katpar's daughter, and brought in armed people from outside of Karachi in trucks who shot on absolutely un-armed people of Karachi from close range in the areas of Jehangir Road & Patel Para killing numerous Urdu speaking.

By the same token it brings back the memory of Orangi town where extremely poor Bihari(migrants of Bangladesh) lived, and during Zia Ul Haq's period their huts were set ablaze and as the fire burned out of control children and women were picked up and thrown in the blazing fires buring their households.

When the curse of drug pushing among many other serious crimes surpassed tolerance by all proportions and MQM asked the govt to dismantle the FATA like tribal set up at the Sohrab Goth slightly beyond F.B.Area, all hell broke lose, and the beasts of the contraband free-trade-zone took it upon themselves to go after everyone who sought to shut down their illegal ghetto and many were killed in this operation as well. Everyone knows that there was an open air drug market in that section of Karachi principally operated by a certain ethnicity which also encouraged other seriously criminal activities and harbored criminals in reguge.


My compliments to Ahmar Muzammil for such a good article, thank you.

The first sentence of this "article" threw me off. Quote- "Don't we claim to be the descendents of people who laid there lives in millions to ensure a democratic, Islamic and most importantly a welfare state".On top of that, he is "supposed" to be a journalist. Speaks a lot about Chowk's editorial policy.

Im sorry how is Karachi as a city or the people in it to blame for people mucking about with the constitution? Not only is that blatant generalisation but also misleading generalisation. The majority of people I know in Karachi are NOT in support of the dictator, but then again they dont support any party. They are sick of politics and mind their own bleeping businesses...which is all they can do..until they too become a victim of a bomb blast, be shot dead over a cell phone or just starve to death due to poverty!

Ahmer sahib,

Here's a very odd view about your writing:


Why America is Great…… and Pakistan isn’t
Filed under: Vietnam, Uncategorized — samanthaa at 4:50 pm on Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Author Ahmer Muzammil works for the Pakistan newspaper The PakTribune. He recently wrote an article tittled Why America is Great… and Pakistan isn’t. In this article Muzammil continuously bashes his government and it’s representatives.

Rest assured that I have nothing good to say about the majority of our politians, but why is thier incompitence used as a reason to supress the will of the people? (pg 2)

How could you live in a country where you so strongly hate the people running it? Sure there is a level in which people can dislike thier politicians, but to go as far as to publicly loath them.

After reading this article i realized that it wasn’t as serious as i had thought it was going to be. The tittle was very intriguing but its almost as if Muzammil wrote this as a joke i can’t imagine what newspaper would actually publish something like this.

http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:FMQhANtWiv0J:samanthaa.learnerblogs .org/+Ahmer+Muzammil&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=5&gl=us

Why karachi walla supports MQM's action??

answe lies in the simple Anu Bhai VS. Haji sahab approach presented in a show I was watching on weekend.

They presented two characters Annu 'Bhai' and 'Haji' Sahab who are running for local mohalla elections.

Anu Bhai has all the ills of the society and has the bharam of badmaash. He does take care of community work by using his power, name and relationships. Out of mohalla he is a maniac, do poondi and drink like a fish... Haji sahab on the other hand, performed 30 haj, always trying to please Allah, give out magnificent speeches to collect chanda for noble causes but don't do jack for community and shut off his door when mohallay walla need him.

who will you vote? :) isn't this karachi's political scene. MQM vs. Jamati

this article is brilliantly written, lots of valid viewpoints, couldn't agree more.

another thing i want to add is how many count the fatalities and damage at the hands of ''islamists'' (btw what are ''islamists'' what a stupid word!) and yet the world's media hasn't acknowledged the terror the pakistani/iraqi/afgani people are facing day in day out.. they too are victims and are vulnerable.

uh.. forget it, it'll never make a difference what we say, we will have to learn to live with barefaced hypocrisy and bullshit.

Ahmer you sound just like this guy i know called Hamza :)

"Compare this to the much larger scale genocide of American Indians and Africans during the slave trade which nobody hears about. So powerful is this persuasion via the media that it makes the world ignore the genocide of Palestinians by once persecuted Jews."

Replace American by Hindu in American Indians.

Compare this to the much larger scale genocide of Hindu Indians during the dark period of Islamization of India which nobody hears about. So powerful is this cooption of Islamists with Angloes that persuasion via the media that it makes the world ignore the genocide of Hindu Indians and Hindu BDs in 1971 by the Arabized converts and Arabs.

We should not pander to the pro-democracy/imperialistic agendas of thelikes of Geo etc

The media is a very powerful and effective tool. It has been effectively used by Israel to change the image common Americans have about Jews. By carefully portraying the Holocaust they have monopolised World sympathy in their favour. Compare this to the much larger scale genocide of American Indians and Africans during the slave trade which nobody hears about. So powerful is this persuasion via the media that it makes the world ignore the genocide of Palestinians by once persecuted Jews. The third World should make maximum investment in developing its media to control the media warfare of the West. The West's export of the culture of racism under the false pretence of freedom should be intellectually challenged.

Zardari,

(Where does that leave`MQM?)

The political bases of both PML and PPP seem to have fragmented quite a bit, PML is supprotless in B'stan and Sindh and only small pockets of supports in NWFP, PPP seems to have suffered a setback in the largest province Punjab.

Doubt if either can get a majority on their own, so parties based on ethnic loyalty and commanding even a dozen seats can be very valuable very similar to India incidentally.

Regards

@fkureshy

I agree with you 100%, Pakistanis must respect each other and be united.

@fku reshy

MQM has very small share of national and provisional seats, (a party which cannot never form a government in its own province without PPP help) but its always crying and complaining, and playing victimization card. It fails to support national politics, issues, parties, instead it focuses on songs of Great Karachi Victimization, claiming to be only representative of Karachi, intimidating opposition through violence. Its ironic that while it claims its democratic and just, no one may criticize MQM, or truly run against its selected thugs. While its crying about injustice in Pakistan, it supports blood thirsty dictator of Pakistan, where 83% of Pakistanis want this SOB gone, MQM continues its spoiler role. Pakistan is basically two party system, PMLn and PPP, one of these two will always form government. Where does that leave`MQM?

Once Musharraf is gone, MQM will be in very weak political position due to its current national policies, and that day is around the corner.

Mr. Zardari here has made my point easier to make....The answer to the question of PML N winning in Punjab is also the answer why MQM has recently been so popular in karachi. but whenver we tlk about MQMs' mandate we always think about rigging and the 'gunda' element in the party which i agree is very much there but in reality is not the SOLE reason for their wins in the city at least this time! and come to think of it who in our country has ever done things the straight way....As if Mr. Sharif has never done anything like that ever in his life.

The sad thing is that our minds have been filled with all this Sindhi Muhajir Punjabi crap that we are unable to see each other as people of the same country and this is why everytime we get a chance to vote we vote beacuse we belong to a certain race or ethnicity not because we are thinking about Pakistan!

Its high time we start respecting all ethnicities and their mandates as well as their values (or watever is left of them) regardless of the size of their population and take the country forward in one single piece!

Mr. Zardari here has made my point easier to make....The answer to the question of PML N winning in Punjab is also the answer why MQM has recently been so popular in karachi. but whenver we tlk about MQMs' mandate we always think about rigging and the 'gunda' element in the party which i agree is very much there but in reality is not the SOLE reason for their wins in the city at least this time! and come to think of it who in our country has ever done things the straight way....As if Mr. Sharif has never done anything like that ever in his life.

The sad thing is that our minds have been filled with all this Sindhi Muhajir Punjabi crap that we are unable to see each other as people of the same country and this is why everytime we get a chance to vote we vote beacuse we belong to a certain race or ethnicity not because we are thinking about Pakistan!

Its high time we start respecting all ethnicities and their mandates as well as their values (or watever is left of them) regardless of the size of their population and take the country forward in one single piece!

Mr. Zardari here has made my point easier to make....The answer to the question of PML N winning in Punjab is also the answer why MQM has recently been so popular in karachi. but whenver we tlk about MQMs' mandate we always think about rigging and the 'gunda' element in the party which i agree is very much there but in reality is not the SOLE reason for their wins in the city at least this time! and come to think of it who in our country has ever done things the straight way....As if Mr. Sharif has never done anything like that ever in his life.

The sad thing is that our minds have been filled with all this Sindhi Muhajir Punjabi crap that we are unable to see each other as people of the same country and this is why everytime we get a chance to vote we vote beacuse we belong to a certain race or ethnicity not because we are thinking about Pakistan!

Its high time we start respecting all ethnicities and their mandates as well as their values (or watever is left of them) regardless of the size of their population and take the country forward in one single piece!

Mr. Muzammil

With due respect to all ethnicities.......why does only MQM gets blamed for supporting Musharraf and his military regime
when the Chaudry Brothers ditched their party only to followhis orders and be at his mercy. Also i think u are forgetting the generous distribution of sweets andthe air of celebration in the city of lahore ( the Sharif's city) onthe day of the coup. Now suddenly this man is such a big villain coz ur either bored of him or feel insulted that he has ousted a chaudhry ( rightly or worongly is besides the point), as if sthg like this has never happened before in this graet country of ours.

And one more reason NOT to blame MQM is that the last 5 to 8 years is prob the only period, since it the capital was shifted to Isl, in the history of karachi that the city has been given some importance. There has been some dev expenditure and pl have thought about another city apart from the paris os pakistan". And together with the city MQM has also shone and has received its rightly deserved popularity among the people of the city.

and mind you MQM is not opposing The deposed justice just because he is a chaudry. They are just, once again, reminding everyone the principal of treating everyone on an equal basis, two cheif justices and both brought through a PCO....now how different can two PCOs be that while we are willing to accept the results of one but not the other despite being ordered by the very same evil, illegal dictator!

We shall find the solution to Karachi in the constitutional package, soon.

@rf786

Why do Sharifs win with heavy mandates in Punjab?

You must not live in Punjab. In Lahore alone, PMLn won 20/21 NA seats. They win because people trust them. Sharifs modernized Punjab with (Airports, Highways, Irrigation, Education, Health, Police) Projects etc, while each time others came in power, they did zero for Punjab(Hint Q).

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"Don't we claim to be the descendents of people who laid there lives in millions to ensure a democratic, Islamic and most importantly a welfare state"
Wtf? Also Ahmer Muzammil = Hamza Yususfzai

Ahmer Muzammil

Let me start by saying congratulations for trying to present a balanced view of life in Karachi. Having said that, why do we have to question Karachi populations for their actions? has it ever occured to the majority that Lahoris were equally responsive to the Musharraf coup. If Chaudhry Iftikher is the yardstick then that is rather unfortunate cause there is plenty of evidence that shows the deposed CJ in poor form.

Another question that needs to be askd is why has Punjab sold itself to the Sharif's? Same people who marginalized other nationalities, bribed and bullied judiciary, caused billions of rupees losses to the state, have always been the pet dogs for the establishment actually their creations. Yet there is no moral outrage.