Blood of over 350 human beings was spilled on the streets of Karachi in the month of July and another over 100 sacrificed during August in the lust for power being played between those who claim to represent the citizens of Karachi. The only sin of those who died was that they live in this city, where this battle for turf has been repeatedly fought over last four years, in a manner which matches the ethnic cleansing of Bosnia, or lynching of rival tribal factions by macchiato bearing Hutus of Africa. This is not what democracy is supposed to deliver to people. Where is the welfare of those that have voted? As has happened in the past, the few target killers, which this government claims to have caught, will be freed in the name of politics of reconciliation, where the blood of people is the only thing that is reconciled to, as a price they must pay for the lust and animal instincts of this city's elected jungle kings. The Sindh Information Minister has termed this latest truce as the beauty of democracy. Does he know the meaning of democracy? If only our ruling elite had to endure the pain of losing their sons or daughters, ruthlessly slaughtered by target killing marauders that roamed and killed innocent citizens, they would have not seen any beauty in this mad battle for turf, which has become a curse for residents of Karachi. At stake were no principles, but over Rs 60 billion annual budget for Karachi and the chance to illegally occupy more price for real estate by the land mafia dons that enjoy political patronage. This is an insult to democracy, where criminals roam free and kidnappers and killers are let off the hook. RAHAT SIDDIQI, Karachi, August 7.