KARACHI: One of Karachi’s main political parties has claimed that a call for jihad against “Mohajirs” is being made from mosques in certain neighbourhoods. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) press conference came on a second day of violence when at least four more men were gunned down in drive-by shootings. Most of the victims were hit in Qasba Colony, Orangi Town, where the mosque announcements were said to have been made.
“The extremists have been making announcements from mosques in Pashto, calling for ‘jihad’ against the Mohajirs [Urdu-speaking people] in Orangi Town and Qasba Colony,” said the MQM’s Qasim Ali Raza. “The MQM will not tolerate [this] and would not hesitate to retaliate with full force against the extremists.”Raza was flanked by Wasay Jalil of the party. The men brought up the violence that has plagued Orangi Town, Qasba Colony, Aligarh Colony and surrounding neighbourhoods.
“Not everyone who speaks Pashto is necessarily a worker of the Awami National Party (ANP) but there are a few Pashto-speaking extremists who have called for jihad against the Mohajir,” said Jalil. “The peace and tranquillity is only conditioned by the political will of parties. Every political party must play a part to keep the peace.”
During the press conference, the MQM played a video of what it described as the Qasba and Orangi mosque announcements. There was no way to independently verify their content or the place where it was recorded.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 18th, 2011.
