KARACHI: Killings termed conspiracy to fuel sectarianism: Compensation announced
KARACHI, Feb 23: Sindh Chief Minister Sardar Ali Mohammed Mahar on Sunday announced a compensation of Rs100,000 each for the deceased victims and Rs25,000 each for those injured in the firing incident near an Imambargah in Rifah-i-Aam Society on Saturday.
A spokesman said the chief minister also directed that all the injured be provided treatment and the dead bodies be transported to the native towns of the deceased on government expenses.
The chief minister also ordered strict security measures at all mosques, Imambargahs and other sensitive places, particularly during the coming month of Muharramul Haram.
Presiding over a high-level meeting on law and order at the chief minister’s house here on Sunday, he said that in future the TPOs and SHOs would be held responsible for any incident of terrorism.
He said the Rifah-i-Aam incident was a conspiracy to create sectarian and religious hatred before the month of Muharram.
The meeting was attended by Home Minister Sardar Ahmed, Acting Chief Secretary Masoodur Rehman, IGP Sindh Syed Kamal Shah, Home Secretary Aslam Sanjarani, Secretary to Chief Minister Qazi Ghulam Mustafa and officials of the law enforcing agencies.
The IGP informed the meeting that three teams headed by police officers Manzoor Mughal, Farooq Awan and Niaz Khoso had been constituted to investigate the incident.
The police chief said that the owner of the hotel attacked and two eyewitnesses were helping the police draw sketches of the accused.
Condemnations: Chief Minister Sardar Ali Mohammed Mahar has expressed deep grief and sorrow over the killing of innocent people by terrorists.
The chief minister said that a conspiracy was being hatched to fuel religious hatred before Moharramul Haram, but law and order would be maintained at all costs.
He appealed to the people to foil such designs by remaining peaceful and tolerant.
Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat-ul-Ibad also expressed sorrow over the incident. In a statement the governor described the act as a conspiracy against peace in the city.
He directed the authorities concerned to tighten the noose around those involved in such heinous acts. He prayed that the departed souls might rest in eternal peace.
In a statement, Provincial Minister for Excise and Taxation, Rauf Siddiqui, said the incident was an act of terrorism by the elements who did not want to see unity among the various sections of the society. The minister prayed for the departed souls.
Provincial Minister for Local Bodies, Mohammed Hussain, condemned the killing and said the incident was meant to harm religious harmony in the province. He expressed condolences to the bereaved families.
Jaafria Alliance: The Jaafria Alliance Karachi condemned the terrorist attack. President of the Alliance Allama Abbas Kumaili expressed deep sorrow and concern over the killings by unidentified assailants, and demanded their immediate arrest.
He said secret hands were conspiring to destroy peace and harmony in the city and the recent killings of Khalid bin Waleed, two Sunni Ulema, and now this incident were part of the same conspiracy.
He apprehended that the conspiring was to create a law and order situation before Muharramul Haram, and appealed to the various sections of the society to resist the elements “who want to drag the city back into the cycle of bloodshed.”
MMA: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal condemned the killing and termed it a conspiracy against Muslims.
Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal chief Maulana Shah Ahmad Noorani said it was a conspiracy to bring a bad name to religious parties.
He said the incidence of terrorism and sabotage was once again on the rise in Karachi.
“The governor talks about improving the relationship between the rural and urban areas, but the government is victimizing its opponents by bulldozing Bait-ul-Hamza,” he said and added that tranquillity could only be restored to the city when conflicting groups were brought to the negotiation table.
MMA leader and Naib Amir Jamaat-i-Islami, Maulana Jan Muhammad Abbasi, said the government had failed to protect the lives and property of its citizens.
MMA MNAs Muhammad Hussain Mehanti, Abdul Sattar Afghani, Muhammad Laeeq Khan, deputy parliamentary leader in the Sindh Assembly, Nasrullah Khan, and MPA Hameedullah Khan said the tragedy was a conspiracy to push the city into the sectarian fire. They demanded immediate arrest of the killers.
In his statement, Maulana Irshadul Haq Thanvi, also condemned the incident. He said Pakistan was passing through a critical phase, and urged all religious sects to get united and foil the designs of the enemies who were bent on creating hatred among the various sections of the masses.—APP
MQM: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement Coordination Committee has appealed to the people for unity, adds our staff reporter.
The committee said it appeared as if the forces inimical to peace were conspiring to destroy it once again .
The MQM Canada central committee said the killings of MQM leaders and workers and armed attacks on Imambargahs were part of a plan to sabotage the democratic process in Sindh.
Tehreek Awam Ahle Sunnat leaders Mufti Qari Raza-ul-Mustafa, Haji Muhammad Hanif Blue, Pir Syed Ashraf Shah Jilani, Allama Riazuddin Qadri and others said an attempt had been made to fuel sectarianism in Karachi which would be resisted by Muslims through their unity.
PPP: PPP Sindh president and leader of the opposition in the Sindh Assembly, Nisar Ahmad Khuhro, held the government policies responsible for the tragedy and said such incidents were an outcome of imposing an artificial majority government to keep the PPP from coming to power.
Tehreek-i-Istiqlal and Awami Himayat Tehreek also condemned the incident and demanded arrest of the killers.
