KARACHI, Feb 6: A leader of the Awami National Party (ANP) was killed by unidentified gunmen on Wednesday, sparking violence that brought some parts of the city to a standstill and raised questions about the veracity of the authorities’ claim that peace will be ensured during the forthcoming general elections.
Accompanied by a friend, senior vice-president of the ANP Fazal Rahman Kakakhel was leaving Al Asif Square, an apartment building near Sohrab Goth, in the afternoon when two armed persons riding a motorcycle drove up and opened indiscriminate fire.
“The episode lasted barely 15 seconds,” said an official of the Sachal police station. “Mr Kakakhel died on the spot while his friend Usman was injured and taken to a hospital for treatment.”
The police official told Dawn that the assailants, who got away, were not recognised by any of the people in the area and no one felt confident about giving a visual description.
The incident triggered violence in mainly ANP strongholds where citizens fled indoors in fear. Minutes after the killing, traffic became thin and movement was gradually suspended in these areas. Worst affected were the Super Highway and adjoining areas where enraged youths pelted stones at moving vehicles before burning tyres on the road. Unknown men also set on fire two cars and as many motorcycles parked near Al Asif Square while later, charged youths armed with sticks and stones harassed passers-by and snatched their cell phones and cash. All of Sohrab Goth shut down in wake of the violence and some buses coming from outside the city were forced to turn back.
However, police authorities insisted that the situation posed no threat to law and order in the city.
“This is protest, not violence,” said Noman Siddiqui, SP Gulshan Town. “A reaction from the party is natural since they lost a senior leader. However, we are in touch with the senior ANP leadership in the effort to keep such activities harmless.”
‘Conspiracy against democratic forces’
Having been associated with the ANP for over 20 years, Mr Kakakhel was elevated to the ranks of the provincial leadership just a few months ago.
The party regards his killing as part of a conspiracy to keep political parties from electioneering at a time when most are trying to re-launch their campaigns just days before the polls.
“We have already warned the administration about certain elements that do not want peaceful elections,” said senior ANP leader Amin Khattak. “Actually, the authorities themselves do not want democratic forces to go to the polls fearlessly. By disturbing the city’s peace, they want to keep people at home on polling day.”
According to Mr Khattak, the party has so far not lodged an FIR with regard to the killing but the move is expected later after the senior ANP leaders have consulted each other. “The killing of Mr Kakakhel cannot make us or other political parties in the city feel terrorised,” he said. “We all want free and transparent elections held without any fear.”
Sporadic violence across city
Meanwhile, violence intensified in a number of areas other than Sohrab Goth, particularly on the outskirts of the city. The Saddar and Light House areas on M. A. Jinnah Road witnessed some incidents of aerial firing and the forced closure of businesses by armed youths.
Armed youths riding motorcycles also fired into the air in the Quaidabad and Malir areas, which forced traders to close businesses and petrol pumps. Similarly, tyres were burnt on roads in Shah Latif Town in the Landhi area.
Similar violence in old Sabzi Mandi, Patel Para, University Road, Safoora Goth and Abul Hasan Ispahani Road forced traffic off the roads. Hundreds of vehicles sought safe routes after having diverted from Guru Mandir, which caused severe gridlock in nearby areas including Sharea Faisal, University Road and M. A. Jinnah Road.
The police believe that the panic caused by the killing was intensified because of the rumours that have of late been circulating in the edgy city.
“Overall, the situation has been under control in the city,” said Capital City Police Officer Niaz Siddiqui. “Some miscreants disturbed the peace in the Sohrab Goth area and set parked vehicles on fire but these youths were dispersed by the area police shortly afterwards.”
Mr Siddiqui maintained that the police force would ensure that elections were held in a peaceful atmosphere on Feb 18, and that security was being offered to political leaders and at their campaigning events according to their needs and demands.
“It is not possible to provide security for every individual,” he said, “but we have been offering protection to prominent leaders and their election campaign gatherings as per the requests made by their parties.”
Two shot
Two persons died in the Keamari and Lyari areas on Wednesday night in what police described as acts of violence following the killing of an ANP leader in Sohrab Goth earlier in the evening.
SP Lyari said that protesters were trying to block the Mauripur Road by pelting stones and putting barricades on the road, and also resorted to intermittent fire, during which a pedestrian, later identified as Imtiaz, died after being hit by a stray bullet.
Earlier, in the continuation of the same incident, another person, whose identity could not be established immediately, died in a similar manner.
The bodies of both victims were shifted to the Civil Hospital for legal formalities.
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