You see me in every remittance I send. I am an expatriate who left the country 40 years ago, worked hard, took care of the immediate and the extended family & friends with the best of my $. Would love to come back to my beloved city to live peacefully and enjoy fruit of my hard labor. They also close the city on me too, don’t forget me and countless others!

Mr. Khan, agree with you 100% though not as long as you but doing what you are doing for the last 16 years.

I agree with Mr. T. Khan, I am also in the same boat. I love to go back to my old city where I was raised. I left Karachi 45 years ago; I missed so much my old city Karachi. I tried 3 times to go back and live there, unfortunately I was discriminated, considered an outsider, I was cheated, robbed, afraid to get hurt. Now I am old man, in my late 60’s. I am hoping and pray someday Inshallah, before I kick the bucket, I will go back to my old city, love to see my old high school, I hope still exist. What they have done to my beautiful city? They really tore it down.

If we, the people of Karachi, will keep voting for the flag bearers of status quo, this is the result we will keep getting. "O traveller, the road you have taken will not take you to Mecca, because it leads to China" - Saadi Shirazi

I m a Karachite... If u dont live here how can u comment on a situation like this.... We live here.. We know well wht is up here... and if u dont have the courage to live at the place u were born so plz dont comment...

The only problem with Pakistan is Islam. Once you agree to renounce Islam, all of your problems will be solved.

I tried once and moved and you don't wanna know happened to me and my brother.Discrimination has become such a pain that our own are discriminting against us.They have lost their morals and they are following the path of condemned nations and their end will be the same too what happened to those nations.It is very unfortunate.

Hear hear! It is easy for the people living in the city to say to the outsiders that, 'what have you done? you left it when it most needed you', 'the remittances you talk about are to spport your family, if they weren't here you wouldn't care about your country' (among many grievances as I like to call them) but for many there wasn't a lot of choice at that point in time. How things pan out in the future based on that one decision no one can foresee. At least these are those people who DO want to come back as opposed to those whose only job is to point out each and every misigiving of the nation. It is a tough scenario. One day, Insha'Allah. One day....

I live in punjab, lahore but i had a great love and affection for my QUAID's city. I love the free style atmosphere of karachi. May God Bless our Pakistan.

This all is not more then a drama of all political parties who want to make the business hub city (Karachi) to be in control of them.

Suhail - great job putting in perspective what it means to be a common man in Karachi when these political parties hold hostage our great city! Karachi is enterprising, entertaining, full of young and old entrepreneurs, world famous artists, a rich culture and a melting pot. I have lived in NYC and it reminds me of Karachi! Same vibe and living on the edge attitude that comes with mega cities. Whenever I visit Karachi it feels great, feels home. All we need is law and order, peace and justice. Everything else falls into place later on. Peace brings happiness, stops brain drain, invites investment, lifts spirits, ignites imagination and we have the best of all people, so talented that together we could achieve anything. God bless Karachi. Let's bring a govt who could bring peace and law and order and equal rights to ALL citizens including minorities! God bless Jinnah.

hi, you wrote good things but why you forgot the ppl who died first and in reaction this happened. my question for if tomorrow God forbid someone kill your father or mother or brother or sister and then what will be your thinking, you will still think about citizen of karachi, a shopkeeper a patient a woman or a man.... no way you will only think about your family member who God forbid die.... dont think only one activist dead think one muslim or one brother or one son or one father die today......i am not against you but you should write in a way that you should felt sorrow as well on the death of two brothers as well.

P.S. And I don't think the expats are seen as 'common' folks w.r.t. to the essence of the article.

Very well penned. Only if our political parties could ever realized the true impact of their actions.

I am so moved by the article. I wish my country was restored as it was long time before. I don't love living here, I want to be back in Pakistan with my friends, with the people I belong too. PLease please please wake up, Secure our next generations future, restore peace and harmony, restore temples and Mosques what it was for, not for spreading hatred, Restore the system it used to be in Prophet Muhammad's era. Restore the equality and justice in the system. I am just breaking to see my country going apart. I want everyone to live together as everyone lives here, caring for each other, caring for someone even they don't know miles apart... I want that Pakistan. Free from corrupt leaders. :(

I am slightly different. I was born in India. India was my home. Pakistan was my second and the USA has been my third home for 20 years. But I do miss Karachi when it was a peaceful city. I am 79, and too scared to go to Karachi, but I miss Karachi all the same.

I am karachiti and I am being killed every day and night by gang war terror and no one is raising voice against this open genocide..all talk and shout at what is happening in balochistan but hide thier face and remain silent over my killings..so sad and shameless behaviour of people.

I left Karachi about 40 years ago. My story is about the same as Mr. Khan's and Ahmad's. I love Pakistan and its great cities like Karachi. It has been our great wish to get back to our country of origin, but alas, we can't. "Paaoon thuck jaain toe ghar jaanay ko jee chahtaa hai" (when feet get tired, they like to return back home) It is unfortunate that our country is being high jacked by the extremists. However, I never gave up hope, because our forefathers sacrificed every thing in order to earn freedom and independence for us. We are not like those hypocrites and opportunists who were either opposed to making Pakistan or sacrificed nothing when it was in making, but love to loot and destroy it. When it comes to talking about Punjabi, Pathan, Muhajir, Baluch etc, and the parties who own us, is nothing but excuses. No body can own nobody until and unless, one allows it to happen. We were slaves before, we are slaves now. The only difference between now and then is that we are our own slaves this time. Why to blame parties, leaders and outsiders. Our souls match with the angels we carry. Those who keep crying and blaming parties and leaders, are not justified in my opinion. God gave us enough chances to bring a positive change in our society, but we either kept killing or getting rid of good leaders. It is our history and tendency to keep waiting for the next messiah as per our ignorance, selfish needs, wants and agenda of our parties and school of thoughts. None of us give priority to our national causes. We are nothing but hypocrites. As a matter of fact, our country is not in need of good leaders, it needs "BAASHAOOR AWAM" (people who are able to use their common sense), the people who know the value and honest usage of their votes and can differentiate between leaders and extremism of all kind and sides and a balanced democratic society. All it takes, is the honest use of our votes and the moral courage to say no to thugs of all kind. God helps those who help themselves. zafarsyed40@yahoo.com

This looks like a poem!

our biggest problem is we are ethnic in our mindset . as long as we continue to choose killers and extornists who win due to a certain ethnicity we will be facing the same ...pls call a spade a spade ..

May Allah give tolerance to our people and let us follow the true Islam and make Pakistan true Islamic nation as desired by Quaid-e-Azam

Best remady.

I agree with you 100% I too am living in UK, I want to retire to the land that my grand parents gave everything up for but cannot because of this pathetic situation. We want to hasten the breakup that our enemies want. SAD

Yeah! This is true that we all are suffering with violence in Karachi especially the patients who need dialysis. We all must work to together for the elimination of terrorists or leaders supporting violence, but that need courage from innocent peoples.

Reality... those who are ruling Karachi for decades are squarely responsible for the miseries. If you don't have muscle to bring peace, then you have no right to rule.

Agree with you. The only solution is OBEY ALLAH AND HIS MESSENGER (PBUH) !

i am a working woman, aged 25, who left home for office but unpredicted conditions made me go to my friend aunt's place. karachi is my favourite city in world. unfortunate part is that, this happened to me while living in karachi :/

Me too want to go home ,but when I saw the condition of Karachi I changed my mind.In my opinion there is only one to stop volence in pakistan,is to ask the politcians to make one point agenda for election,that is NO VOLENCE what so ever,no blame game,no excuse.

A wonderful article. reality i live here too. for those who could leave I say Godspeed. I wish I had the resources to leave this Town. Courage has nothing to do with living in Karachi. Those who can afford to leave are going. Sad. try to reach the depths, shallow hunting doesnt pay.

That is the point. We HAVE lived there too. People on the other hand, who HAVE NOT experienced the life of some of these expats (of these so called du kashtion kai sawar who still have a lot of stake in the well being of the city and nation) do openly comment and criticse their thoughts and feelings. Here lies the dilemna. Things are not always black and white. Anyhow, we don't need anyone's certificate of approval to prove our love and concern for the city and nation. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this violent incident. May a peaceful solution be found soon and good judgment prevail amongst the masses as well. Ameen.

Karachi is mini Pakistan. Its a microcosm of what is Pakistan. What we need is GOOD GOVERNANCE AND THE RULE OF LAW! The awam is definitely Bashaoor, its each successive Governent that has been incompetent and very bad. We then need UNIVERSAL GOOD EDUCATION FOR ALL. Its easy but also difficult for Pakistan.

No offense to those who lost their lives, but I think this is the mind-set that needs to change. You have to respect the Rule of Law as a victim before asking the offenders to do so. If every person starts taking revenge then there wouldn't be an end to this kind of situation. The first person who puts its trust in the Rule of Law will be the founder of an end to the violence.. I understand that the law enforcement is almost non-existent, but it is your country, its your law, its your establishments. The only way you can strengthen it to put your trust into it and start using it, otherwise, it will remain untouched on the shelves of the lawyers for another 6 decades and by then it would already be too late to rescue it.. I love Pakistani society, their educated are the most civilized and the hardest working, the problem is that they are not just physically but psychologically hijacked by others (the less-educated leaders). The educated, middle class is your only best choice to lead this fabulous country..

very true v r muslims ,in islam one muslims merder is the merder of huninuty pls stop violence i request u all be a good muslim and proving a good pakistani

Zulm tho zulm hai aakhir thum hi jaata hai. One day, one day they will pay for all the innocent blood shed in the name of politics. We are watching and we know exactly the people responsible for all this. The day will come when they have to pay for all their crimes. We the people are waiting for the day when our hands become the law. One might call that chaos, lawlessness or anarchy, but then I ask is it not anarchy and complete surrender of law and order to these people who call themselves politicians and political workers. To them I say mend your ways, and denounce murder and violence as your only political tool. Be sure that the day will come soon when the books will open and you will pay. It is only natural. Waiting for that incident which will act as a catalyst to bring all these murders to justice. Karachi is our love, Karachi is us We the Karachites have been through a lot suffered a lot but some how we keep on going Surviving. These thugs will kill some of us but the majority will survive, and will come out of their dens, when the day comes for u to pay for your crime. Till that day you are kings, u can burn, kill, loot, but know this WE ARE WATCHING.

Make it an economic and knowledge hub organizing conferences attended by all technocrats and experts alongwith policy makers to reach a common solution to problems

Can't we learn any lesson from our experiences? How long will this blame game continue?

I thought Pakistan was created to keep muslims 'safe'.. Now looks like the most unstable and unsafe place on earth for anybody. Good going guys..land of the pure!

When political parties nurture criminals then the country will be in turmoil. The law and enforcement can not able to control the situation. Common people suffer. This situation creates very bad image for the country and enemy of the Pakistan take this opportunity to destroy the foundation of Pakistan.

There we go again, from aching and hurting for Karachi, a tussle has started between resident Karachites and expats! For the love of Allah, cant we all be one on a single stance and not bifurcate our identities. Once a Karachites, always a Karachites, stay united on this issue! Must we start our personal wars! If we cannot ,then forget blaming THEM, it's US, who need reforms and self control and learn the meaning of united we stand,divided we fall!

I STAYED IN KARACHI FOR FOUR YEARS DURING MY GRADUATION, ITS IS REALLY MINI PAKISTAN I LOVE THIS MEGA CITY,,,,,, ALL WE NEED TO DO IS TO TOLERATE EACH OTHER,,, MISS THIS LIGHTS OF THE CITY,,,,

These all are happened only because of our pity attitude against islam. We all have forgot our true aim of our life which have been proposed by our Allah. Being a muslim we must admire the humanity and should abscond the selfishness.

My mother was a schoolgirl in Karachi during world war 2. She remembers a very modern, tolerant, cosmopolitan city. A city where American soldiers moved about freely and welcomed as heroes. She was sad to read this.

As soon as we have firm believe in ALLAH and not on our treasure. that day we are ONE!

This has nothing to do with Islam. Two ethnic groups fighting for extortion money, land and drugs money has got nothing at all do with islam. Please dont confuse already petrified and depressed people. In fact the main mistake in the root of mixing Pakistan with Islam. Religion minus State equals to peace and prosperity.