KARACHI, June 1: The recent upsurge in terrorism in the city seems to be aimed at postponing the local body elections. This observation was made at a meeting of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s coordination committee on Wednesday, says a press release.

The committee looked into the factors which might be responsible for a sudden breakdown in law and order. It concluded that the recent acts of terrorism which were followed by violent reaction by enraged mobs were part of a craftily orchestrated campaign.

“It is worth noting that when 20 people lost their lives in a suicide attack at the Bari Imam shrine, not a single tyre was burnt on the roads of Islamabad. But, using a Karachi suicide attack as a pretext, vested interests had vehicles, petrol stations, eateries and other places torched within no time. An eatery was not only torched, but those escaping fire were fired upon when they came out of the building in flames. Those who had such crimes committed cannot be believers in humanity,” the Muttahida committee noted.

The coordination committee expressed concern at what it saw as a sinister plot aimed at creating an excuse for “an undemocratic measure” in the province by proving that the Sindh government had failed to check the city’s slide into violence.

The Muttahida body criticized the Jamaat-i-Islami and said that instead of bringing about peace and tranquillity in the city, the political party had chosen to call a strike.

The coordination committee urged the public to foil the conspiracies of rivals.