Land and Property disputes major factor behind riots - Shazia Marri

Criminal elements were involved in the three-day riots in Karachi and land and property disputes were one of the major causes, said Provincial Information Minister Shazia Marri, while briefing the media regarding the Sindh Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday. “We will not allow criminals to bring their property and land disputes to the extent where children could not go to schools and the city is plunged into anarchy,” she said, adding that such disputes could be resolved in a legal way and the government will not allow anybody to take the law into their own hands.“Yes, land and property disputes were a major factor behind recent violence,” she told after the briefing.

During the briefing, she also said that the government has already enhanced penalties and punishments to those involved in land encroachments. The revenue department will also reconstitute its force, she added. Provincial Minister for Excise and Taxation Mukesh Kumar and Minister for Information Technology Raza Haroon, who belongs to the MQM, also accompanied her during the press conference. Marri said that the law and order situation in the Karachi remained the focus of the cabinet meeting.

Sindh Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza briefed the cabinet members about the situation, she said, adding that the home minister also produced a police report regarding the law and order state in the city.The cabinet members appreciated the efforts taken by the home minister in bringing the deteriorated law and order situation of the city under control. According to her, the cabinet also decided to repeal the Police Order 2002, as the recent violence exposed the sheer disorganization of the police. “The police had been given full authority but they failed to deliver positive results and lacked accountability,” said Marri.

She said that the cabinet has also given approval for the arrest of those criminals who had been declared absconders by courts under section 87 and 88 of CrPC. She said the government had already banned display of arms, including those carried for self-protection. In addition, Marri said, the cabinet has decided to conduct verification of arms licenses issued during the past few years to ascertain their authenticity. She said that the cabinet members have agreed to centralize the issuance of arms licenses, under which, only the home department will have the authority to issue arms licenses.

The information minister said that the government will announce compensations for those killed or injured in the riots on Thursday. Speaking on the occasion, Raza Haroon said that some criminal elements are trying hard to derail the coalition government’s success and vowed that any such attempts will be thwarted.

Teejays: The pioneering brand in fashion industry marches towards further glories

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

A whole generation has grown in the awe of Teejays. It was way back in the early 1970s when they had arrived with a fresh concept of designing and stitching state-of-the-art shalwar-kameez. It brought about a revolution in the fashion circles.

Teejays rocked the country becoming a household name in a remarkably short span of time. Because of the high quality of the product, they made early inroads in the international market as well and Teejays earned customers all over the world.

Teejays became the lifeline of the entertainment industry in Pakistan as their dresses added graceful touch to the performing artists. They had made their debut by having designed for PTV wardrobes for that famous serial ‘Kiran Kahani’ in 1973.

Teejays is recognized as the most prestigious brand and their product-line continues growing more than quarter of a century later when some other companies have also made their way to the market. They have been universally acclaimed as the pioneers of fashion industry in Pakistan, having provided the base for future for the creative designers, many of whom have gone on to make fortunes.

‘Teejays Has Designs on You’ was the slogan that caught the imagination of the people. Their other slogans ‘What Levi’s is to Jeans, Teejays is to Shalwar-Kameez’ and ‘Designing Shalwar-Kameez for the World’ also became very popular.

They had come into being with the opening of an outlet in Karachi by the name of Teejays Exclusive in 1970. They got themselves incorporated as a private limited company in 1977 and started domestic production the same year.

By embarking to remodel and redesign the shalwar-kameez on using different fabrics they met with phenomenal success and they opened branches in different parts of the country. Thus began a journey that goes on and on.

The Teejays brand is the brainchild of that visionary fellow named Tanwir Jamshed who is more famous and recognizable with his initials TJ for obvious reasons. He has certainly become a legend in his own lifetime.

As his wide range of creative products and their monumental success suggest, TJ is credited to having redefined the fashion history of Pakistan.

TJ is a genius in the truest sense of the word. Besides excelling in his own field, he has a wealth of knowledge and understanding of the world affairs that would make the most prolific of intellectuals proud. He has a passion for reading, a quality that has helped him immensely in his scholastic skills.

TJ is much more than just an outstanding fashion designer and entrepreneur. He cares for the society and proactively contributes his bit in alleviating the pains of the people in need.
He encourages and appreciates the creative persons and guides them to make the most of their talents. He is a patient listener who avoids jumping to a conclusion without getting the full picture.

The personalities like TJ are an asset for the nation. He is one the role models for the young generation who hold the key to the future. His attributes, in fact, are a source of inspiration for people of all ages.

TJ may have crossed the age of 60 but he has lost none of the passion or the zeal that made him a celebrity. He has not been laid low by the odd bouts of illness either. His level of commitment to the profession and the cause of the nation are legendary.

He has created more than 5,000 shalwar-kameez designs and his dresses have made it to the wardrobes of over 150 television serials. But there are no hints of him being arrogant or even proud. Modesty has been one of his virtues. He commands respect for his clarity of thought and honesty of purpose.Rome was not built overnight. Neither has been the reputation of TJ. He has worked with missionary zeal over the years to get to the position he is in now. He has worked against the heaviest of odds to accomplish his cherished goals.

‘Aman Rally’ held

On the directives of Sindh Governor Ishrat-ul-Ibad, major political and religious parties teamed up to protest against the ongoing violence in the city. The ‘Aman Rally’ was organized by members of the PPP, MQM, ANP, JUI-F, ST and the Sindh Qabaili Ittehad Party.

Participants travelling on buses, trucks and motorcycles rode through areas such as Rais Amrohi Colony, Tori Bangash Colony, Ittehad Town, Qasba Colony, Ali Gardh Colony, Banaras Chowk, Orangi Town and SITE. Orangi Town Nazim Abdul Haq, along with MQM’s member of national and Sindh assemblies ANP’s Rana Gul Afridi, PPP’s Abid Satti, JUI-F’s Qari Abdul Hafeez, MMA’s Hameedullah Khan, ST’s Suhail Qadri and QIS’s Ahmed Shah Mehsood remained at the forefront of the rally.

The leaders emphasized the need to curb hatred if peace is to be restored in the city. They urged the public at large to keep an eye out for miscreants and to ignore the various rumours circulating to avoid further misunder- standings.

Rangers swoop on Afghan camp, 24 held

Law enforcement agencies, including police and Rangers, for the first time, set foot in the Afghan Camp and conducted a door-to-door search operation.The operation was carried out on the fourth day of unrest in the city, which has claimed at least 48 lives and wounded hundreds.

The police and Rangers apprehended 24 alleged criminals and recovered ammunition.The joint operation lasted for two-and-a-half hours in the area also known as the Kochi Camp and has a population of 1,500 people. “We entered the Afghan Camp for the first time ever,” Gulshan Town SP Sohail Zafar Chatta told. “All the arrested men are professional criminals and their arrests were made according to the lists maintained by the intelligence and law enforcement agencies,” Chatta said. “These men always disturbed the law and order situation at Super Highway after any incident in the city.

They have even been involved in various cases including police encounters, robberies, highway robberies and snatchings to name a few,” he added. He said the operation would continue today (Wednesday).Police claimed to have arrested as many as five high profile criminals but their names were not disclosed. The families of those arrested claim the men were tortured by the police.

Four killed: Reuters quoted Karachi police chief Waseem Ahmed as saying four people were killed in different incidents in the early hours of Tuesday but the city had been mostly calm since then.“There has been no major incident since the morning,” Ahmed told Reuters.After the three days of mayhem in Karachi, life returned to normalcy in the city on Tuesday, although people living in sensitive and affected areas, where the law and order situation was extremely deteriorated during riots, passed the day in a state of fear.
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Home Minister gets stricter; carrying arms banned

Taking a serious notice of the incidents of ethnic violence in various parts of the city, the Sindh government banned people from carrying arms. Sindh Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza announced on Monday that any person seen with weapons will be shot at sight. “The Sindh home department was directed to issue written orders to the police and other law enforcement agencies to shoot any person who was carrying weapons and arms on the streets,” he said while giving an official statement on the Sindh Assembly floor.

The ruling MQM legislators raised the issue while talking on point of orders. It was the first, and obviously the last, sitting of the current provincial legislative house session after the bloody incidents of the violence. The home minister termed the violent incidents a planned attempt to destabilize the system and linked them to an international scenario. He appealed to all political parties to play an active role in normalizing the situation. “The whole county will burn if Karachi burns,” he exclaimed. Mirza revealed that he has restrained PPP men from taking armed guards with them.

The police and law enforcement agencies will take action against miscreants, irrespective of their political affiliations, he said. Saying that the government knows how to deal with them and the situation, he warned miscreants not to ignore the government’s advice or orders. The home minister also admitted to the fact that problems and difficulties were being faced while implementing official orders. He said that around 80 percent of appointments and postings in the police have been made on a political basis and that it will take time to get them into order. Stating that the media is exaggerating the incidents of violence, he appealed to the media, especially electronic media, to act responsibly while reporting sensitive cases. “The media is making it seem like there is not government in Karachi or Sindh,” he remarked Referring to the violent incidents that occurred in the city in the last two days, he said that a total of 20 people were reported to have died while only 90 were reported to be injured. Out of those who died, 14 were Pakhtoons and six belonged to the Urdu speaking community. According to Mirza, around 10 police stations in the city out of a total of 30 were disturbed during the violence. Out of the 10 police stations, he stated that only six are reportedly in the grip of violence and the remaining four are in a sensitive situation.

The six affected police stations are in Orangi town, Pakistan Bazaar, Pirabad, North Nazimabad, Korangi and Zaman town. Mirza stated that the sensitive police stations are in Baldia, Landhi, Sachal and Sohrab Goth. Speaking on the occasion, Sindh Assembly MQM parliamentary Leader Sardar Ahmed, said it is our government and we have full confidence in the chief minister and home minister. He said that the government is making all possible efforts to eliminate the disruptive elements, stating that playing the blame game will only prove harmful for the nation.MQM MPA Faisal Sabzwari recalled that just a few days ago the sensitivity of the situation was the topic under discussion on the same floor in the same house and if anyone is out to harm the country it is our responsibility to catch the culprits. Sabzwari said that if we do not work together and act as one, it will only serve as encouragement to negative elements. He said that everyone appreciated the home minister’s shoot-at-sight orders, as the city has to be protected at all costs.

He assured that the government has their support and referred to the joint statement that the MQM issued with the ANP on Sunday. He also mentioned the talks held by the interior advisor with MQM Chief Altaf Hussain. Opposition Leader Jam Madad Ali also expressed similar views, stating that the people of Karachi are in a state of shock and that the opposition will fully cooperate with the chief minister and home minister in the government’s efforts to control the situation.

Another day of mayhem claims 14 more lives

As many as 14 people were killed in various parts of the city as the city witnessed the third day of ethnic violence. The death toll has reached 44, while the number of those injured has reached the hundreds. Following irresponsible performances, West Zone Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Abdul Aleem Jaffery was transferred to DIG TNT and was replaced by DIG Abdul Majeed Dusti. The North Nazimabad Town SP has also been replaced. SHO Saeedabad Irfanullah Marwat and SHO Azizabad Aziz Bhatti have also been suspended. Many houses, shops and vehicles were set on fire in different areas of the city, especially Orangi Town, and the residents of the affected areas have started migrating to safer areas.

Law enforcement agencies, including the police and Rangers, were unable to control the situation, especially in the West Zone of the city, where over two million people are trapped, as the situation has deteriorated to the point that even stepping out of the house is not safe. Miscreants firing at public transport vehicles, pedestrians and law enforcement officers have become a regular feature in various parts of the city.

In Raess Amrohi Colony, Orangi Town, three people were killed and seven houses were set on fire, while eight others were killed in separate areas of the city on Monday. In Orangi Town, Noor Mohammad was found dead. The bodies of Imran and Hanif, who were shot dead, were found near Rexor Lines Bridge, within the jurisdiction of Rizvia Police Station. Jumma Khan, a security guard, was killed within the jurisdiction of Zaman Town Police Station, Bahadur Zada was killed and Gulab Khan was wounded at the Gulistan-e-Johar Morr, Gul Bahadur was killed at Colony Gate, Sharah-e-Faisal, Sikander was killed near the KDA ground, within the jurisdiction of Aziz Bhatti Police Station, while a body was also found within the limits of Baghdadi Police Station.Amjad Nadir, 17, was killed, while his younger sister and two others were injured in a firing incident that occurred in Saeedabad, Baldia Town. One more was killed in Al Falah area in a firing incident and another in New Karachi area. Qatar Hospital Deputy Medical Superintendent (DSM) Dr Khalid said that over 200 people were brought to the hospital. He added that miscreants have been brutally treating innocent pedestrians on their way home, stating that there have been various sorts of injuries. Some people were severely tortured and patients even came to the hospital with mutilated organs. Victims at Qatar Hospital stated that there is one way to reach Orangi Town or Qasba Colony and many who tried use this way to reach home were caught and tortured by the miscreants.

They added that the miscreants even chopped ears, noses and other human body organs with knives and scissors. They pointed out that law enforcement agencies have not approached the areas where these inhuman incidents are taking place. However, heavy contingents of law enforcement agencies have been seen throughout the city either on patrol or placement. In the West Zone, a number of people, including shop keepers, rickshaw and bus drivers, and security guards have been targeted by unidentified men.

Killings, terror grip Karachi

Violence continued for a second consecutive day in the city on Sunday following the riots that erupted on Saturday.At least 21 more people were killed and 50 were injured in separate incidents of violence, riots and firing in different parts of the city. The total death toll has risen to 30 and around 200 people are reported to be injured, these include doctors and paramedics.Law enforcers are gathering details of the violence. They have been directed by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and the Sindh chief minister to submit a report within 24 hours.

It is believed that law enforcement agencies (LEA) have failed to control the city’s law and order situation and have arrested only a few of the miscreants from different parts of the city. The routine life of the city was disturbed and different trade centers, markets, petrol pumps, shops and CNG stations remained closed and the city’s transport system remained suspended. The government declared red alert in the city, it deployed rangers and increased police patrolling in the city and declared an emergency in all city hospitals. Officers who were on leave have been called by due to the law and order situation. Two dozen vehicles, dozens of shops including the timber market in Godhara, New Karachi, were set on fire. Those injured included women and the paramedical staff of the Qatar and Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.

The police and Rangers are hesitant to take actions despite having been given shoot at site orders.In Orangi Town, petrol pump employee Ali was shot dead and a security guard Naseem sustained injures while Mominabad Orangi, Abdul Rehman was shot dead. Another young man Kamran Khalid was tortured and mutilated before being killed. In Gulistan-e-Johar, Rasool Jan was killed, Jalaluddin was shot dead in Ajmair Nagri and an unknown man was shot in KBR Society. Amanullah, an alleged Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi (MQM-H) worker was killed at the Korangi Crossing while Faisal Qadir, an alleged Sunni Tehreek worker was killed within the limits of Surjani Police Station. Nasir a private clinic employee was killed in Soldier Bazaar, and unknown man in Aram Bagh, Fazal Malin in Kharadar, Akthar Ali within the limits of Preedy Police Station in Model Colony and Abdul Latif and two others in Gulshan.Asif, 40, an owner of a local ice-cream shop was gunned down while a passerby sustained injuries in the firing incident at the shop situated near Hyderi, North Nazimabad. Sajid Jhoki, who was said to be affiliated with a political party, was gunned down in the Gulbahar area and Rozi Khan, a watchman was killed by the firing of unidentified miscreants. Two more were reportedly killed in Raees Amrohi Colony, Orangi Town. Banaras, Orangi Town, Qasba Colony, Baldia, Ittehad Town, Sohrab Goth, Pak Colony, Gurumandir, Patel Para, Nagan Chowrangi, Gulistan-e-Johar, Malir, Quaidabad and surrounding areas, were the worst affected areas.

Heavy contingents of police and Rangers were deployed to control the law and order situation in these areas. Qatar Hospital Deputy Medical Superintendent (DMS) Dr Khalid told Daily Times that around 25 injured people and a body arrived at the hospital on Sunday while 107 injured and three bodies came to the hospital on Saturday. “Miscreants mutilated the ears of around four people and attacked the hospital team near Qasba More,” the DMS said. “Three doctors and two other employees sustained serious injuries when they were on their way home from the hospital.” The injured include Dr Khalique, Dr Shibli Malik, Surgeon Naushad and the paramedical staffers Arshad and Rafique. He added that two who were critically injured were shifted to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital after initial treatment.

Dr Khalid had asked law enforcement authorities to provide security to the hospital staff otherwise it would be difficult and dangerous for doctors to work in such circumstances. He said that around eight doctors are still working their shifts in the hospital from the first day of violence.Karachi Police Chief Wasim Ahmed, said that over a 100 miscreants carrying arms and are affiliated with both groups, were arrested from different parts of the city. “They were disturbing the law and order situation,” he said and added that cases have been registered against all of them. Ahmed revealed that since Saturday, 18 people have lost their lives, of whom 13 were killed on Saturday and the remaining five were killed on Sunday. He stated that there are 103 police stations in the city. “The trouble is within the jurisdictions of eight police stations whereas there is a complete calm everywhere else,” Ahmed explained. The 2 million population of Orangi are stranded in the town. Majority of the victims were targeted when they were on their way home from Banaras. The police and Rangers posts were also allegedly set up in the affected areas, especially in Orangi Town.

There were also some unconfirmed reports stating that some houses were set on fire in Orangi Town and some women were raped by miscreants. Meanwhile, victims of ethnic violence have started shifting from areas that witnessed clashes. Shakeel, a resident of the Qaimkhani Colony Baldia Town, told Daily Times that many people left their houses because of intense firing throughout the day. He added that houses were set on fire and the miscreants misbehaved with women. A resident of Orangi Town said the same and added that people who were living right in the middle of the clash have evacuated their houses. Similar situations have been seen in Sohrab Goth.