Karachi (May 12, 2017): Sindh Assembly on Friday unanimously passed a resolution condemning the May 12 carnage, marking 10 years of the incident which claimed the lives of over two dozen people and scores injured in the provincial metropolis.
Senior Provincial Minister Nisar Khuhro during his address said that the day was the most unfortunate as at one end people were getting killed while the police were playing the role of silent spectator.
He said that the people were killed only because they were heading to the airport to welcome someone, further adding that a curfew should have been immediately imposed in view of the precarious situation in the metropolis, however, the military dictator at that time, Pervez Musharraf, called the ongoing bloodbath the display of power.
Meanwhile, MQM- Pakistan leader Faisal Sabzwari demanded that a judicial commission should be constituted to probe the incident of May 12, 2007, in which many citizens, including 14 workers of Muttahida Qaumi Movement were killed.
He added that the party wants the issue to be investigated rather than being content with a resolution.
“The series of indiscriminate fire started from Patel Para” he said while speaking about an MQM rally that was underway in the area on May 12, 2007.
“There were many people, including women and children, who dispersed during the firing, some got injured, while others were killed.”
The firing in Patel Para was probably the beginning of the May 12 bloodshed, Sabzwari maintained while speaking in the Sindh Assembly.
“It was an unfortunate day,” the MQM-Pakistan leader said. “The peace and politics of the city all were affected on that day, but the party which suffered the most was the one which is the major stakeholder in the city’s politics – MQM.”
While hinting at possible suspects, Sabzwari said the car of Pakistan People’s Party’s leader Sherry Rehman was surrounded by armed men – who could be her guards –”But there was another minister’s vehicle, the boot of which was being stuffed with weapons.”
Sabzwari maintained that not only for those killed in the May 12 carnage, justice should also be provided for those who lost their lives when the city came under attack on the day PPP leader Benazir Bhutto was martyred.
On May 12, 2007, some 48 people were killed and score injured and several vehicles burnt on one of the bloodiest days in Karachi’s history, when the then deposed Chief Justice (CJ) of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry was scheduled to address a function at Sindh High Court. Opposition parties had announced to accord warm welcome to the then CJP in the city. The MQM, who at the time backed Musharraf, organised a counter-rally, leading eventually to violent clashes.
As 10 years have passed since the carnage, no one from the perpetrators were sentenced and even those arrested were set free on bail.
Lawyers across the province also observed Black Day against the carnage and boycotting court proceedings. Black flags were hoisted atop the bar rooms and general body meetings of lawyers associations held to denounce those behind the bloodshed.
In Karachi, lawyers are also observed strike by staying away from court proceedings in Sindh High Court and lower courts.
Sindh High Court Bar Association and Karachi Bar Association held separate general body meeting on the May 12 mayhem. During the meeting, resolution condemning the carnage and demanding to bring those responsible for the bloodshed to justice were passed.
It is to be mentioned here that the then deposed CJP was to address at SHCBA function and he flowed to the port city. But he was not allowed to leave Karachi airport for attending the event and widespread violence and arsons hit the city.
A number of petitions, including a suo motu, were filed over the incident but proceedings were subsequently dropped after Musharraf declared an emergency in the country and suspended the constitution.
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