KARACHI: Fear rules as Muttahida moves out of ‘no-go’ areas
Dawn Report
KARACHI, Nov 27: In the wake of the takeover by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement of the areas previously dominated by the Mohajir Qaumi Movement, the situation has remained explosive, with the residents of these areas playing the silent spectators.
The Muttahida, following a dispute with the federal government over the issue, moved out of the ‘No-go’ areas in protest on Wednesday, plunging these areas into a deeper state of fear. Reports say the frustrated leadership of the Muttahida has asked all its workers and office-bearers to vacate the offices they had recently taken over from the MQM Haqiqi in Landhi, Malir, Shah Faisal Colony and Lines Area.
A survey of these areas has revealed that people want to have nothing to do with politics and desire uninterrupted peace. Fearing for their lives and livelihood, they detest being involved in the politics of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and the Mohajir Qaumi Movement.
There is an impression the Muttahida Qaumi Movement effected the takeover with the support of the paramilitary forces and the police, and after the heavy deployment is withdrawn, the residents will have to suffer the consequences in the form of the fight that is certain to break out between the two rivals.
The residents wonder where they would stand if they chose to welcome the Muttahida today and their areas were made to undergo yet another change tomorrow; with the wrath of the rival faction bearing down upon them.
Although Muttahida leaders and workers have been present in the areas since the takeover, a “positive response” from the residents has not been forthcoming. Apparently, the residents have no wish to earn the hostility of the rival group when Muttahida men cannot stay under the cover of the police and the rangers for long, as Eid is approaching fast.
Following the Muttahida takeover, the entire Malir turned tense and intermittent firing in the air created fear among the residents. They say the rangers and the police in fact looked the other way and chose not to control the situation and arrest the miscreants firing in the air with automatic weapons and creating hurdles in the traffic movement.
The troubled areas turned calm on Nov 25, after the announcements made from the mosques in Malir and other areas to the effect that people should open their shops and use transport without any fear. The residents say the announcements were made by the activists of the Mohajir Qaumi Movement.
But fear is the order of the day with the activists of both the parties present in the areas. “Anything may happen anytime,” they say.
According to a man living in Khokhrapar: “It is the holy month of Ramazan and people have to perform religious obligations, besides preparing for Eid. The largest market in Malir — Liaquat Market — along with all other shops and shopping centres, remained closed for two days, which caused immense problems.
people were forced to stay in their homes, despite the fact that they have nothing to do with the selfish power struggle going on between the two rivals”.
A resident of Saudabad says: “Here we want shops and markets open and traffic movement restored, for people to be able to breath freely”.
Street and house robberies are reported to have increased considerably in the troubled areas after the operation against the Mohajir Qaumi Movement.
