Though bloodletting has become a matter of routine for Karachi, thanks to the ruling coalition’s misconceived greed in keeping their hold on power, the gory events of Tuesday are the outcome of an entirely different but certainly divisive issue. It is the call for creating a Mohajir province out of Sindh, an issue that was bound to come up following the federal setup’s move to carve a Seraiki province out of Punjab. In fact, the demand for a separate governing unit for southern Punjab was made to strengthen the then dormant question of mohajirs, settled in Sindh, having a province of their own. Recall the plan to establish Jinnahpur. The peaceful citizens participating in the rally taken out to protest against the demand for a Mohajir province, 14 of whom lay dead, and 51 who were injured as a result of hostile attacks by unknown persons stand witness to the inherent evil of disturbing the current governing structure of the country. Both public and private property – houses, a bank, shops, cars and motorcycles – were torched by the rioting public.
The Nawa-i-Waqt group has been in the forefront warning against this mischief, which carry the implications of violence and disarray. This group has been urging, in these columns and elsewhere, not to fiddle with the present structure of the country sanctified by the Constitution. Whatever the compulsions, now definitely is not an appropriate time for any such fissiparous move. Already bogged down in attempts at protecting local interests, the leadership must beware that they would be sounding a death knell to the country’s unity if they went ahead with further dividing it into more governing units. Today, Pakistan is facing  daunting challenges and there can be no  better way to overcome them than to have complete unity in our ranks.
Mr Ayaz Latif Palejo, President of the Awami Tehreek (AT), who led the “Love Sindh Rally”, felt so outraged that he vowed to avenge the blood of victims. “These murders will not go unnoticed. Those shedding blood on the streets of Karachi will be held accountable,” he declared at a press conference. He also announced a wheel-jam strike beginning from Tuesday evening to Wednesday evening across the province of Sindh. Obviously pointing a finger at the provincial government, he alleged that the police left the area right when the shooters began indiscriminate firing. Mr Palejo charged that while containers were placed in the way of AT’s rally, the pro-Mohajir province rally faced no such hurdle. We once again sincerely urge the federal government as well as all other political parties not to open the Pandora’s Box of provinces and put an end to this highly controversial idea that carries disastrous implications.