Again?

August 02, 2010:

And yet here is another night when the skeletons of cars are getting reduced to ashes. Here it is again that the surroundings of the city are echoing with gun fires and expensive properties are being set ablaze. The right to live has been taken away from numerous people. Whether they will be registered as martyrs or another batch of hell inmates seems to be the topic of discussion for the mullahs, while several families mourn their dreams and hopes which have been raised to dust, yet again.

The city of Quaid is yet again in the line of fire. Its streets are devoid of the hustle and bustle now that rock the inner city environs each night, be it a weekend or one of the busy weekdays. The times of body bags and closed casket funerals are creeping their way back into the somewhat settled lives of the denizens of Karachi. The pride we used to take in the diverse and multi-ethnic culture that this city has to offer is getting mixed with the feelings of anger, fear and hatred. The hatred and intolerance towards other ethnic groups, which has started reflecting in our actions lately, is creating an aura of racial bigotry making it difficult for different groups to co-exist in unison.

Having brought up during one of the most tumultuous times this city has ever seen, its most certain to me that no one wants to relive those days of blood shed and chaos. Anyone who has lived through those moments would sure as hell not want them back, rather put an effort in bringing a halt to incidents which pave way for such eras. I wonder what has happened to the process of dialogue-making in settling disputes in a humanely and civilized way. I wonder where this path of hatred is going to lead us.

As time brings us closer to our 63^rd independence day, I wonder what this independence has brought us. What has changed during the past 63 years? Is it the intolerance that we have developed for each other? Or is it the numbness for the cruelty and brutality that has become part of our daily grind? Either way, it’s the large masses of deaf and silent people who need to be blamed. It’s you and me who have caused our city of lights to delve into the blood stained paths of darkness, yet again.

-94 people have died in the spate of terrorist activities that lasted for three days following the killing of MPA Reza Hyder (MQM).