Killing of famous Pakistani Sufi singer Amjad Sabri on Wednesday has not only shocked people in Pakistan and abroad, but has once again raised eye-brows on the law-and-order situation in Karachi — the largest city and commercial hub of Pakistan.
Two motorcycle-borne masked men shot Sabri five times on a busy road while he was driving his car to a television station to participate in a Ramadan show. The killing came after the law enforcement agencies had claimed to have further strengthened security in the wake of the kidnapping of the Sindh High Court Chief justice’s son, Advocate Awais Ali Shah, on Monday. He was kidnapped by unknown masked men. Karachi police chief says it is another case of targeted killing, while the Sindh Chief Minister says that the incident is part of an organised conspiracy to destabilise the city’s situation. At the same time, a splinter group of Taliban has also claimed responsibility for the killing.
Whatever the case may be, it is quite evident that the provincial government and the security agencies have once again failed to protect the residents of Karachi. The menace of targeted killings, which was common practice among political rivals to take revenge and seize control in different areas of Karachi, is rearing its ugly head again.
Karachi, a city of more than 20 million people, is plagued by political, ethnic and sectarian violence. Peace in the city can only be ensured if a mechanism is developed to bring harmony amongst various political parties and ethnic groups. Security agencies must launch a crackdown against criminals and terrorists in Karachi, regardless of their political affiliations, to ensure peace and to protect people’s lives and property.
