The Pakistani Spectator

It was on the cards that now any of the ANP’s worker would get murdered somewhere in the Karachi. It was not a news, but something which could be predicted with certainty. After ANP killed couple of MQMers, it was matter of time before MQM struck.

Need I say that this is all too familiar and this is basically the battle for the extortion and hold of the area. Joblessness is rampant in the Karachi, and youth is plentiful. This educated, semi-educated, and illiterate youth is the fodder for MQM, ANP, and PPP. They give them petty money, mobile phone, sometimes clothes, and above all save them from police after street crimes. This youth pays back to them intermittently by committing target killings and random firings.

As past experiences has repeatedly shown, such political murders are always followed by a vicious cycle of violence, and yet no effective measures were taken to prevent the bloodshed. Same as before, we are hearing statements of Rehman Malik, Qaim Ali Shah, Manzoor Wasan, MQM leaders, ANP leaders and media is having hot talkshows and ratings are high.

Karachiites are waiting for that lull after which another round of killing would start.