IT is difficult to say what exactly is behind the latest upsurge in violence in Karachi, specifically the resumption of ‘targeted killings’. Victims have been gunned down not only due to their religious and political affiliations, but also, seemingly, because of their profession. On Tuesday, two people were killed when assailants stormed a cellphone franchise in North Nazimabad. Two other cellphone businesses in nearby areas were targeted in similar fashion in the recent past. It appears the attackers were not interested in looting the premises but in spreading terror. The police claim the Taliban were involved in past attacks on cellphone franchises, but it is not clear why the militants would target this particular business. Extortion has been suggested as one possible motive. Meanwhile, a doctor was gunned down also on Tuesday as he drove to his clinic. The possibility of sectarian motives has been suggested by the police. Another doctor, associated with an imambargah, was shot in front of his house a few days ago, while lawyers from the Shia community have also been killed. In the early hours of Tuesday, the wife, daughter and driver of a Balochistan MPA were also murdered in a drive-by shooting in the city while a number of political workers have been gunned down.

Although sectarian animosity is a clear factor, there seems to be no common thread linking the killings, other than the intent to spread terror. Though some politicians have suggested that citizens take steps for ‘self-protection’, the law-enforcement apparatus cannot be let off the hook so easily. Since it is the police, Rangers and administration that bear primary responsibility for keeping the peace, it is they who must explain why such acts of violence conti-nue unabated. ‘Targeted’ search operations have begun, but why must such measures have to wait until after the body count begins to mount? Last year it took the Supreme Court’s intervention for the authorities to take action to stop the targeted killings, which claimed hundreds of lives. What will it take this time to motivate the government into doing so — before Karachi’s violence spins out of control once again?