KARACHI: Whenever there is a strike call in the metropolis or any other form of protest, there are almost sure chances that violence and public inconvenience will accompany such events. At least that has been the trend in Karachi over the past few years, the most recent example being the violence that broke out in the city on Wednesday night and carried over into Thursday.

At least 15 people were killed while dozens of vehicles were torched. It took an appeal from Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain for protesters to end their ‘peaceful’ protest for the violence to abate. The protests were of course sparked by impolitic remarks made by Sindh Senior Minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza regarding the MQM and the Mohajir community.The city had only begun to recover from the effect of earlier mayhem, in which nearly a hundred people were killed in ethnic violence, when the latest riots broke out.

Earlier, when the Pakistan People’s Party gave a strike call in March to protest the Supreme Court’s annulment of Justice Deedar Hussain Shah’s appointment as National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chief, at least six people were reportedly killed while over a dozen vehicles were set on fire.

A strike in early June against the Karachi Electric Supply Company, backed by the Awami National Party as well as other parties in support of retrenched workers, also witnessed violence. The occupation of Fawwara Chowk by KESC union members has also inconvenienced the public by choking the vital roundabout, throwing traffic in all directions out of gear.

It appears that the perception is that unless a strike is violent and unless people face difficulties, it will not be considered ‘successful’. People seemingly have lost faith in the power of peaceful protest and civil disobedience.

When quizzed about the Wednesday and Thursday events, MQM spokesman Wasey Jalil felt that if it were not for the party’s intervention, the situation would have slid out of control.“MQM parliamentarians have played a vital role. Whenever a situation arises we go into neighbourhoods and try to calm things down, for example by organising corner meetings. We try and bring peace to the city. We played a major role in controlling the people’s recent protest. Despite Dr Mirza’s remarks, we played a vital role and did not let the city slide into anarchy”.

He added that “third parties try and take advantage. All the people killed on Thursday were non-political people. No party has claimed the victims were their workers. Our protest was peaceful. At the most people burnt tyres. Others try and settle scores whenever such protests occur”.

Saeed Ghani, the PPP Karachi secretary-general, felt it was the primary responsibility of the organisation giving the strike call to keep it peaceful.“Whichever party is giving a strike or protest call bears the responsibility for ensuring that it remains peaceful. It is fundamentally the responsibility of the party leadership. I don’t think any party actually tells its activists to indulge in violence during a strike. However, if that is the case than the party leadership needs to take a second look at employing such tactics. Society as a whole is affected when there is violence or a shutdown in the city. Society as a whole must take a stand against violence, but it is the primary responsibility of parties giving strike calls”.

Irshad Bokhari, head of the Karachi Transport Ittehad, a grouping of transporters, was very pessimistic about the situation and held political forces responsible for violence accompanying strikes.

“In the recent incidents countless vehicles have been burnt. Strikes are never peaceful. We have gotten used to it. Political parties have taken the city hostage. All parties support violent elements. No saboteur comes from the outside to instigate violence. Due to the attacks against our vehicles many transporters have become hand-to-mouth. Who will compensate us?

“Karachi used to be an exemplary city, known for its tolerance and brotherhood. However, today we are destroying ourselves. We condemn the statements made [by Dr Mirza]. But this was not the way to stage a protest. Where do we go for justice? All we can do is to shed tears,” he said in an emotional tone.

Ateeq Meer, chairman of the Alliance of Market Associations, said that strikes and accompanying violence was having a decimating effect on the city’s commerce.

“Traders face heavy losses whenever there is a strike call by political or non-political groups. Buyers don’t reach the market when transport is not running and an atmosphere of fear prevails. At times even if some markets have remained open during certain strike calls there has been a 95 per cent absence of buyers. Violence isn’t always necessary to keep customers away. The environment of fear created by strikes is enough to affect business. This state of affairs has been growing steadily for the last two years. It seems political confrontation is heading towards its peak. Capital flight form Karachi has started, with traders heading for Punjab’s cities. That is the current situation”.