The year 2011 had emerged as a nightmare for Karachiities who endured several terrorist attacks and intense targeted killings which claimed over 1,350 lives, including seven Ranger personnel, two policemen and secret agency personnel. According to statistics exclusively gathered by Business Recorder, the city remained safe on January 8 (2011) when a bomb, planted on a bike, was found near Saeedabad.
But after 17 days, the first blast incident of 2011 occurred on January 25 near Kala Board, Malir, on the occasion of Shuda-e-Karbala Chehlum. This killed four persons, including three cops. Thereafter, the city witnessed over 25 terrorist attacks, including two suicide blasts, five planted bomb blasts, over half a dozen hand grenade attacks, and a rocket attack, besides deadliest targeted killing spree during 2011.
At least five blasts were reported in February only. Two planted bombs exploded near Risala and Shah Latif Town police stations on February 13. Two railway tracks located at Mehmoodabad and Bin Qasim Town were destroyed on February 18 and 20, respectively. One more blast occurred late on February 29 at Shah Latif Town. That claimed an alleged terrorist.
In March, two terrorist attacks were registered. A bomb accidentally went off in a house in Abdullah Goth, Ibrahim Hyderi on March 5. That led to arrest of four alleged terrorists. Another terrorist attack was reported on March 23 when two rockets were fired at Malir Cantonment area. No casualty was reported in both incidents. The first hand grenade attack was reported on April 14 at Rainbow Centre, Saddar, killing an Inspector of Intelligence Bureau (IB). On April 21, the terrorists targeted the Rummy Club in Ghass Mandi claiming lives of 22 persons. Three more persons were killed in another hand grenade attack at Jhat Pat market, Lyari, on April 29.
The month of May provided irreparable loss to the country besides creating big question mark over the security lapse of Pakistan Navy when a naval base 'PNS Mehran' came under terrorist attack on May 22. That left two P3C Orion aircraft destroyed and killed four terrorists and martyred eight Naval and two Rangers personnel. The Saudi Consulate also faced drive-by grenade attack on May 12. That led to killing of a Saudi diplomat on May 16.
Although there was no terrorist move in June, the rangers, which were supposed to be the protectors of the citizen, pretended like terrorists and claimed a live of innocent on June 8. Similarly, in July, Peoples' unity chairman Amir Shah was shot dead at Gulistan-e-Jauhar.
The Karachiities witnessed unprecedented spree of bloodshed in August. That left over 70 persons, including MNA Waja Karim Dad, killed only in two days--August 17 and 18. Two terrorists were reportedly killed in an accidental blast Scout Colony Gulshan-e-Iqbal on August 30.
The first suicide attack of the year was reported on September 19 when an alleged terrorist rammed explosive laden vehicle into the house of SSP Aslam in DHA, claiming three lives, including a mother and her 10-year-old son. Two police personnel and five terrorists were killed in another suicide blast that occurred at Sea View area on November 16 suicide blast. According to reports, the terrorists wanted to explode the same at Abdullah Shah Ghazi shrine, or 3D Cinema situated at Clifton, but the same went off at Sea View area.
On November 18, an alleged suspect of al Qaida Mueed Abdul Salam, a Saudi Pakistani national, blew himself up with hand grenade in Sharea Faisal police remits when the rangers cordoned off the said area for his arrest. At least eight persons got injured in a planted bomb blast at Kumhar Cinema on November 20.
Since the beginning of December, the city has witnessed four planted bomb blasts at various areas including Abyssinia Lines, Kalapul, Safforan Chowrangi and University Road on December 5, 6, 9 and 10, respectively. These incidents claimed lives of four persons, including three Ranger personnel, and seven others injured.
The spree of targeted killings remained intensified in Karachi during 2011 where some 1235 citizens fell prey to sectarian, ethnic, political and personal grounds. According to statistics, some 548 persons lost their lives in the spate of targeted killings during first half of 2011--65 persons were killed in January, 20 in February, 165 in March, 96 in April, 63 in May and 164 cases of targeted killings were reported in June. However, the spree of targeted killings increased in third quarter of 2011 where 602 people were targeted on political and ethnic grounds. The months of July and August appeared as the most deadly months in 2011 as some 552 citizens were killed--301 in July and 251 in August.
Although this was the first time when the judiciary came into action against Karachi violence, the suo mottu action taken by the chief justice of Pakistan in this regard caused decline in ratio of targeted killings in the city. Some 50 people fell victim in September, 44 in October, 28 in November, and 20 persons were killed in December.
Over 23590 citizens were deprived of their cell phones in 2011. Of them; over three dozen lost their lives while some 250 persons got injured during resistance in mobile snatching bids. The eastern parts of the city appeared to be most vulnerable for mobile users where over 7600 cell phones were snatched at gun point. According to CPLC statistics, some 10,457 complaints of mobile snatching were registered in CPLC records while 13,134 mobiles were stolen during 2011.
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