 The New Year in Pakistan was marred by suicide bombing in Lakki Marwat, a small town in troubled South Waziristan. It was reported that at least 96 people died when a vehicle laden with 550 pounds (250 kilograms) of explosives rammed into a crowded volleyball match. It was one of the deadliest suicide attacks in Pakistan’s recent history.
The volleyball match was being held between the teams of two villages that were opposed to Talibanisation. A meeting of anti-Taliban elders was also being held when the suicide attack took place. In fact, even the nearby hospital was not able to provide medical care due to the shortage of doctors and medicines that resulted in more deaths and spurred violence in the town.
Earlier, the Ashura procession of the minority Shia community was hit by a bomb in Karachi. It killed at least 46 mourners and led to arson that reminded of December 27, 2007, when Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Benazir Bhutto was killed, sparking widespread riots in Karachi and other cities of Sindh. The attack in Lakki Marwat and bomb blast at Ashura process on Moharram 10 were a result of Pakistan's army operation in South Waziristan. In retaliation, the Taliban bombed several cities resulting in death of more than 500 people since October. However, construction work of torched markets in Karachi was resumed by the Muthahida Qaumi Movement-led city district government. Even a compensation of about Rs 3 billion was announced for traders who had suffered huge loss due to the attack.
Who could be responsible for this carnage in Karachi? The land mafia that is interested in the prime land of the historical MA Jinnah Road has been held responsible for it. However, some analysts believe that the intelligence agencies role could not be ruled out that wants to destabilise the fragile democratic government of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.
The attack on MA Jinnah Road after the Ashura procession was hit by a bomb has not only devoured 46 precious lives, but has also damaged the “Wadhumal Odharam area” of Serai Quarters. “Prior to the partition, Hindu families lived in the area but its beautiful buildings were considerably degraded after the partition,” noted architect and town planner Arif Hasan told TSI.
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“Denso Hall area that has beautiful buildings of 19th century has also been affected by fire,” he said.
“Since Independence, Wadhumal Odharam and Ranchore Quarters, the British civic and recreational centres have been under severe market pressures. The pressure being of infiltration of markets from the Old Town Quarters, accompanied with their intrinsic physical qualities, including wider roads and spacious ground floors, than those of the Old Town Quarters. Their proximity to the port is an additional asset. These factors have also encouraged the establishment of new markets,” writes noted architect and town planner Yasmin Cheema in her remarkable study: The Historical Quarters of Karachi.
According to the reports, at least 80 markets were damaged, including Boulton, Iqbal, Chhani, Light House and whole sale and plastic markets. Ironically, these structures have not been put on fire by mourners, but by unknown people , whose main objective was just not to destabilise the government, but to pave the way for the land mafia, who wants to replace them with skyscrapers.
“I was in the procession when the blast took place though I was not close enough to see the dead bodies. But I can say with confidence that people who set shops and markets on fire were not mourners. The mourners were empty-handed and were not carrying any inflammable material,” Syed Zain Haider, 18, told TSI.
“The land mafia may have had a role in the carnage. In fact, I was told that even the gunbattle in Lyari (a slum area near the port) had the mafia's backing because they want to build skyscrapers there,” said Arif Hasan said. He added that after the WTO began dictating terms with a big bang, an underground economy took refuge in the real estate sector, especially related to foreign currency and gold. As a result of WTO policies, this economy is no more underground. It is exerting pressure on the local governments to change the building by-laws, Hasan said. He added that in the model which was earlier operative in Karachi, the most dangerous aspect that land has become a commodity.
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