Influentials involved in Karachi killings: HRCP

LAHORE: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has completed a fact finding mission in Karachi to ascertain the causes behind the current wave of violence in the city. According to the interim statement, Karachi is in the grip of a multi-sided wave of insecurity driven political, ethnic and sectarian polarization.

The report claims that even though the land-grabbers and mafia have tried to exploit the breakdown of law and order, they do not appear to be the main directors of the violence; that distinction belongs to more powerful political groups and it is they who hold the key to peace.

The report states that the problems inherent in Karachi's urban growth and expansion as an industrial and commercial mega city have not been tackled properly. The problems of employment, housing transport, education, health, supply of water, electricity and gas need to be sorted out with the help of civil society's pool of talent and knowledge.

According to the HRCP, nearly all political parties agree that it is necessary for all to respect each other's position and desist from attempts of capture political heights through violence. HRCP received complaints against law enforcement agencies ranging from dereliction of duty, abandonment of post, long delays in responding to distress calls to downright collusion with criminals. The HRCP said unless these shortcomings were removed the people of Karachi could have little hope of peace and security.