THE recent incidents of targeted killings and display of street power has left the ‘City of Lights’ in tatters. Although all political parties want to cleanse society of weapons, there have been no concrete efforts to do so.
The much-trumpeted ‘Deweaponisation of Pakistan Bill 2011’ was tabled in the Senate by the MQM. The presentation of this bill was being seen as a great change in the mindset of various stakeholders of peace, particularly in Karachi. Political analysts take it as an olive branch and good omen for peace and stability, not only for Karachi but for the entire country.
Karachi, which is the economic hub of Pakistan, has witnessed turmoil from both internal and external factors. It has carried the burden of failures of great powers and faces several challenges.
However, weaponisation of Pakistani society is not a new phenomenon. Historically speaking, the Zia era, disintegration of the USSR, wars with India, and the ‘war on terror’ gave birth to non-state actors, religious militancy, Talibanisation and obscurantism in our society. This phenomenon has taken the lives of many innocent people.
The recent display of street power by different political parties in Karachi and insurgency in Balochistan show what political actors and non-actors want from this bloodshed and crime against humanity.
Winston Churchill had said: “Politics is almost as exciting as war, and quite as dangerous. In war you can only be killed once, but in politics many times.”
According to analysts, deweaponisation is the most difficult process, nearly impossible to be implemented. They believe that it is the most complex issue. They are of the view that Pakistan is surrounded by nuclear rivals. It can’t concentrate ifinfiltration takes place from its eastern as well as from its western borders.
However, it requires proper understanding of the issue, particularly identifying the resources from where weapons are supplied. But some analysts believe that by following a step by step approach one can achieve targets.
I think the deweaponisation process cannot be tackled individually but it requires other power players/ stakeholders to come forward to accomplish this gigantic and complex task.
Moreover, acceptance of the genuine mandate of political parties, rehabilitation of the legitimate civil authority of institutions, dismantling and decommissioning of militant organisations are necessary. All illicit weapons and itsmanufacturing should be banned. There must be a complete ban on display of arms. The process should be supervised by selfless and dedicated professionals of different agencies.
Robert Fulghum rightly said: “Peace is not something you wish for; it is something you make, something you do, something you are, and something you give away.”
We should individually and collectively work and make a commitment to make Jinnah’s Pakistan free from weapons.
PERVAIZ ALI MAHESARJamshoro
Some tips for peace
SOME of the concrete steps the government can take are to go after and hunt down sources of weapon acquisition in Karachi. Weapons and security scanners should be installed on all entry and exits points of the city. Fret trains for cargo transportation may be used and trucks should be stopped so that smuggling of weapons may be reduced. Security should be beefed up at ports and custom clearance points, which are also big sources of weapons’ acquisition in the city.
Through these measures, criminal elements will start feeling the heat, and it will also become visible to the people that some steps are being taken to limit the illegal flow of weapons. Once this is done, weapons stock will start dwindling.
The government must initiate the second phase by offering to buy people’s sophisticated weapons on market prices and then these can be added to the state machinery.
A deadline should be set up to submit weapons to the government. It must show that stern action would be taken against those who fail to follow orders.
The third phase relates to the actual deweaponisation of the city. The army should be deployed because other law- enforcement agencies are either corrupt or highly politicised. The army will be non-partisan in this case. A house-to-housesearch may be carried out with sophisticated scanners. Those found guilty of storing weapons should be punished heavily. It is a daunting job, but our military can pull it off.
After the above-mentioned steps have been taken, I believe that weapons will have been reduced by 70 per cent. Then the government can enhance security by installing CCTVs, and adding the monitoring and coordination department to ourlaw-enforcement agencies.
It is time the government stopped being helpless. Brave nations in hard times take concrete steps to rid themselves of problems. These steps are technical in nature; reaching the roots of social evils is necessary. But right now Karachi needsserious technical solutions to its problems.
WAQAR ABBASIKarachi
Military operation needed
IT is sad to see Karachi -- which generates the largest chunk of revenue and provides jobs and shelter to Pakistanis from every nook and cranny of the country -- entangled in a bloody mess of targeted killings.
Many innocent citizens have lost their lives and the violence still continues unabated. Recently, about 35 more people were killed taking the death toll to 50 in two days of violence. Bodies stuffed in gunny bags were found. People are afraid to leave their homes for fear of being killed.
Karachi has a long history of political, ethnic and sectarian violence, but the recent wave is high by historical standards. More than 300 people were killed in July alone. Karachiites are forced to live in chaos and mayhem, while those responsible for public safety have scores of armed vehicles escorting their movement across the city. LEAs, including the police and Rangers, are nothing more than silent spectators in the face of killings and arson. Elected representatives feel no pain when people of their constituency die in cold blood. Political parties, claiming support of the masses, do nothing but blame all and sundry.
The opposition is silent, so is the judiciary. Preachers of Islam, civil society, the intelligentsia, no one is doing anything while Karachi bleeds daily, and dies a slow and painful death.
A military operation is the only solution. If it can be launched in Balochistan, Lal Masjid, Swat, Waziristan and other parts of the country, why not in Karachi!
ZULFIQAR ALI DOMKIKashmore
‘Sensationalition’
I REQUEST the media to stop sensationalising Karachi’s pain by showing videos as well as pictures of the murdered victims.
The media gives voice to the voiceless. It is good to present the reactions and feelings of victims. But it should be done with a sense of responsibility. I watched a reporter asking a mother, who just lost her son in the current wave of violence, an endless number of questions. Several bodies were lying in front of the mother.
Please stop showing and retelecasting such scenes. It will not only hurt the feelings of the family but also double their grief.
UROOJ KHANKarachi