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I write this column on the midnight of 30th-31st December 2009 and by the time it will appear a New Year and a new decade would have unfolded into our lives. It will be the 2nd of January of 2010, and if one is conscious of this time factor it is understandable.
What kind of New Year have we entered, as far as this country is concerned? What kind of television will we have in the incoming year? Needless to say that the Pakistani news and current affairs channels have a tough task ahead of them. It seems to be tougher than what it has been so far. The public is that much more demanding when it comes to political matters.
It is with this in mind that I have begun the column and the principal theme appears to be the city of Karachi. The Sindh capital has been hit hard and almost mercilessly, with the apparent goal of destabilising the financial capital of this country. That it happened on Ashura day, before sunset, as the main Moharram procession was en route to the Imambargah Hussain Iranian in Kharadar is something that is well known, and the details of which reflect the agony of what has happened. The loss of life, the injured in the hospitals and the loss of property is something that is being discussed in the media with the deepest possible concern, and anxiety. What does the economic loss, in which atleast 3000 shops have been set on fire going to mean to Pakistani society and to the country in economic and psychological terms. The arson that followed the blast is something that has happened on this scale in Karachi for the first time and prays that this does not become a trend. Steps have to be taken immediately, but carefully, that it does not happen again.
The news channels have been focusing on the Ashura bomb blast and the ensuing arson all of which mirrors the meticulous organisation that went into the bloody assault on Monday, and in the last two days there has emerged a picture that is very worrying, as well as dangerous, to say the least. Having said this and with the New Year in mind one wonders at what the future holds for Karachi. Can we rebuild the Boulton Market and its adjoing areas, and rehabilitate the thousands affected by the carnage and demonstrate our capacity, courage and will to fight back, in this way as well?
There are many questions being asked by individuals and organisations, trade and non-trade bodies as well, in the aftermath of what happened on Ashura day in Karachi and as it appears that terror has finally struck Karachi as well. In all that is happening in the country, in the war against terror that is being undertaken, amidst some degree of controversy and dissent, when Karachi was least affected, if at all, the terrible events of 28th December have unfolded. What is the future going to be like? That is one of the questions that channels are exploring in their deep concern.
There is a strike call by the Sunni Rehbar Council, supported by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) for Friday, which is New Year's Day. From the complete strike was observed on Tuesday in the city, as well as the Sindh province, it is apparent that Friday's strike would also be effective. What does all this mean in the long run (or even near future) for the economic and financial activity of the Sindh province, especially its capital? This is one of the questions agitating the citizens' minds. What happens to the daily wage earner? A familiar question that gets lost in the strike.
Sometime on Wednesday evening came the news on the channels that the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had claimed responsibility for the attack on the Ashura procession in Karachi and details of which have appeared in the media. What is the long-term message in this? The TTP, has reportedly said through its spokesman that there will be more such attacks within the next ten days. It is apparently a very specific threat, in terms of time. This is the way the New Year comes to Karachi. It brings terrorism.
With reference to this one saw the Jamaat-i-Islami Secretary General Liaquat Baloch speaking about the TTP threat on a news channel (ARY News?) and he questioned why at all had this claim come 48 hours after the incident on Monday. He said that this was the reason why he thought there was something suspicious and unreliable about this TTP claim. He did not appear to give much credence to the fact that the spokesman person had named himself and given other pointed references also-the details of which have appeared in the media.
From what has seen on the TV channels on the first two days after the Ashura blast it is still unclear of whether it was a suicide bomber who was behind what happened. The TTP has said that it was their man, whom it has specifically named also, but the same Wednesday evening the Sindh Police Chief Salahuddin Khatak said on TV that it was still unclear of whether there was a suicide bomber who had carried out the blast. It is significant that the Shia Ulema also ruled out the possibility of any suicide bomber having done the terrible job, and one of the channels on Tuesday telecast said that it was a "planted bomb".
It is imperative to mention here what Allama Hasan Zafar Naqvi one of their spokesman was quoted as saying on the TV channels that the police had prepared a sketch to be released (to the public) of the suspected suicide bomber when it was pointed out to them that the man was one of their followers (Azadars) and had nothing to do with terrorism. The Shia clerics strongly rejected the allegation that the "enraged mourners were involved in the aftermath of the blast."
Of course some of the TV channels telecast the blast as it happened and I saw it on one of them (Geo News) as I channel surfed that evening. In fact all the news channels were focused intently on the main Moharram procession right from the beginning when it began from the Nishtar Park -- and it was around 4.13pm that the bomb blast took place. But within a very short while there began coming in reports of the looting and burning of shops that was taking place, and right till the end no one was caught by the law enforcing agencies that were on duty.
This has become one of the central questions that have been asked in the TV discussions. Why was no one caught while the looting was on? And why were the police and the Rangers from what we saw on TV, mere spectators? There must be reasons for their behaviour and which needs to be explained to the public and needs to be done on TV. Also, what the public would want to know with credibility is the performance of the fire engines which have been severely criticised by the affected traders and the viewers for their inability to control the fire fully even by Wednesday evening. Had the fire tenders come on time, and been properly equipped the widespread damage could have been limited? That is the kind of question that is being asked. The issue of the efficacy of fire engines has been brought up once again.
The City District Government Karachi, released later that night vital footage of the blast from its sophisticated control and command centre which was telecast by all the channels. Apparently no one had footage of that kind. There is reported to be CCTV footage also available (with whom the TV channels do not mention) of the looting and the arson that took place, in which the miscreants operated freely. These will also be telecast later, one presumes, and news story repeatedly indicate that from this footage to come, will also be possible to determine who were the men who did the colossal damage.
While Talat Hussain in his Live With Talat had participants like Shehla Raza, Waseem Akhtar and Atiq Mir exploring the possibility of who could be behind the attack, I saw at least one discussion on CNBC Pakistan (on Tuesday) in which the emphasis was on the rehabilitation of the Boulton Market victims. Both Shahzad and Adeel were dealing with the theme, themselves and through the live phone calls that came from knowledgeable people. One caller was talking about the plan that there was to dislocate the traders in the wholesale market, even before the blast. And that this was one of the background factors. What is that to mean? One wonders.
There has been heard on Tuesday and Wednesday repeated reference to the extent of the losses of the traders - one estimate has put the loss at Rs 30 billion and that over 10000 jobs have bee lost. Compensation has been announced by the federal government and more has been promised from other official sources. Varying estimates have been put forward by different sources, including on huge estimate from Mufti Rafi Usmani of the Darul Uloom Korangi who also said that there was an organised plot behind this loot and destruction on Monday. There has been so much concern expressed on this Karachi tragedy. It is relevant to bear in mind that these traders were reportedly mainly from middle class families, and operated in traditional way--the absence of insurance or takaful being one of them.
One shop owner of an arms shop in the Boulton Market area said that his shop was first looted and then it was set on fire. He was angry as he said this. That anger has been one of the outcomes of the comments and criticism that has been heard on the channels is necessary to underline. With an obvious fear that has entered into the lives of Karachiites there is anger at what has happened. And what possibly aggravates their state of mind and heart is the past experience where neither has adequate compensation come for those who have suffered looses, nor has there been any meaningful security cover provided to the citizens.
There has been heard on the channels a lot of mention of the looting, killing and arson that took place on the day that Mohatrma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed was assassinated on 27th December, two years ago. Cynical references were made to what compensation was paid or lessons learnt by the authorities. Then there have been references made to the 12 May 2007 killings that took place in Karachi, when the government created barriers for the then deposed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry when he landed at the Karachi airport, and did not allow him to proceed to the city. There have been other instances of violence, bloodshed, and killings in Karachi, and it seems that as a result of what has resulted in the way of learning lessons and offering official and societal compensation, the public opinion is unsure and skeptical of what can happen this time.
While on the one hand it is crucial that the terrorists behind the Ashura blast and looting and arson be brought to justice, and the public taken into confidence it is simultaneously critical that help to the atleast 10000 rendered jobless or even penniless be enabled to stand on their feet. Stand on their feet with dignity, self respect and honour. It is a yet another occasion for Pakistani society to demonstrate what it does for its unfortunate brothers and sisters. TV channels are telecasting sad glimpses and short pathetic comments from the affected men, and the furious traders. - evoking a variety of feelings. Mixed feelings in a way. Will we forget about all that has happened and another event or a news story takes over the channels? Or are we going to come forward as a society to help the families that have suffered in the Ashura blast? And will there be justice done to the terrorists that have created this havoc in a city that is central to Pakistan.
I am inclined to agree with the opinion that Pakistani society and the Pakistani government are confronted with an enormity of challenges - where the list is long and growing. The challenges that it today faces, and the failures that it has had in the past 62 years compound to make the task of nation building mammoth, appearing insurmountable. And diversifying the scenario is the presence of a powerful electronic media (namely private news and current channels) which in themselves have a mountainous task ahead. But both the media and the government have to rise to the occasion. The doubts, the cynicism and the sheer pessimism of the affected people is understandable--who are familiar with stereotyped official and unofficial rhetoric (and promises) that has come on the channels so far.
Zardari warns: I have been unable to focus on many other vital themes this time, like the second death anniversary of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto shaheed and the speech that President Asif Ali Zardari made that day in Naudero-in which he said that "non state actors are out to break up country". There is much to worry bout what he ahs said, and also that the people are anxious about who was behind the killing of Benazir Bhutto [email protected]

Copyright Business Recorder, 2010

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