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human
angle keenjhar The way we
are karachicharacter
The Supreme Court's suo moto action on the petition of missing persons has enabled several children, wives and mothers meet their loved ones after years. As families of many other missing persons continue their search; the recovered have heartbreaking, horrific, accounts to share. Kolachi investigates By Sabeen Jamil "Forgive me for any
way I may have wronged you… I don't know if they will let me see you again
or not." Shafquat sobbed like a child, apologizing for crimes he had never committed, to his wife Shumaila when she last heard from him, in a short phone call. He feared that his family wouldn't be seeing him for a long time, or perhaps ever. Eventually, his fears were realized; his family hasn't heard from him since that phone call last year. Shafquat Rafique, 28, worked as a senior sales representative at a pharmaceutical company. Shafquat and Shumaila had married four years previously, and were deeply in love. They lived a content life at their home in North Karachi along with Shafquat's parents. The birth of their son Abdur Rehman three years back served as icing on the cake. Their happiness, however, proved to be arbitrary. On October 10, 2006, during the month of Ramadan, Shafquat went to Karimabad to buy some things and did not return by iftar. When an apprehensive Shumaila called his cell phone he assured her that he was fine, with some friends, and would return home soon. "However he was unusually quiet and sounded preoccupied," Shumaila recalls. Shafquat stopped taking Shumaila's calls after a while, and text messaged her saying, "I have been arrested." "I received his message around 11 that night. My in-laws had gone to sleep by then. I got extremely worried and didn't know what to do except pray to God for his well-being." Shumaila kept waking that
night. It was not till 11 the next morning that Shafquat returned himself.
"Four men in a black Toyota drove Shafquat home the next
day," Shumaila r Shafquat was not allowed to speak much to his family except for a few minutes to speak with his wife privately, "he gave me 2000 rupees that he had in his wallet and kept a hundred rupees for himself saying that he would need the money to drive back home once they released him." Shafquat did manage to tell his family who the men were, though, "he told us in code words that the men belonged to ISI," remembers Shumaila. The men left with Shafquat, taking with them a cloth bag that belonged to one of Shafquat's friends. As they departed, they told Shafquat's father to not expect to be seeing his son any time soon, "we can keep him for three months or even three years." The men threatened the family with dire consequences if they approached any one for help. The family remained in contact with Shafquat for a few more days when hecalled them from an unidentified number. During one call he indicated that he was being held at Malir Cantt. "I asked him where he was being held and he asked me about one of our relatives who lives in Malir Cantt in reply, I understood that was where he was being kept," says Shumaila. She last heard from her husband when he was heading to Rawalpindi. "He called us and told us that they were taking him to Rawalpindi by road." Shumaila is unsure if her
husband was subjected to torture or not but could sense he was "His parents have not recovered from the shock of losing their son and his mother suffers an almost physical pain if someone talks to her about Shafquat," Shumaila says sadly, wondering why they were made to face this torture when Shafquat was neither an extremist nor ever involved in jihadi activities. "He was a moderate Muslim, never prone to religious extremes," she says. The only 'crime' she can
conceive of Shafquat having committed is having being "acquainted with
a person who had connections with Al-Qaeda." But does that make him
guilty too? "I don't think this makes a person guilty," replies
Shumaila, "but even if he is then he should be taken to court instead
of making him disappear." Shafquat's case has been registered with the High Court and with the recent suo moto action by the Supreme Court and the discovery of several missing people, Shumaila hopes Shafquat too will soon be found, "all our hopes rest with the Supreme Court after Allah," says Shumaila. She is all set to leave the country once Shafquat returns, "I don't want to live in a country where people are snatched randomly." Shafquat's family is not the only one mourning the sudden disappearance of a loved one. Hundreds of families are suffering the same ordeal where they spend their lives visiting courts and offices of human rights organizations in hope of finding a single clue leading to a missing son, father or husband they haven't seen in years, after they were taken away by some unknown force. The families of all victims usually allege agencies and ISI to be involved with these disappearances. Asif Baladi is another person who has been missing for a year and his family accuses the ISI for this. Asif ran an estate agency and was an active Jiye Sindh Qaumi Movement (JSQM) worker a decade ago. He left home for a friend's on June 26, 2006. He told his family that he would be home by the evening. Sadly, he was unable to keep his word. Two days after his disappearance Asif called one of his sisters, Najma, in Hyderabad and assured her that he will return soon, "ask ammi to pray for me," was all he could manage to request her before someone snatched the phone from him and the line was cut. Asif called Najma again the following day and asked her to his house in Karachi as soon as possible, directing her to hand over his passport to some 'friends' who would be visiting his home any time that day. Najma couldn't meet these friends, as they arrived at Asif's house exactly an hour after the call. "Four men in civilian dress with crew cuts visited us," Noor Muhammad, Asif's brother, who was present at his house at the time tells Kolachi. The men asked for Asif's passport but the family couldn't find any of his documents and the men returned empty handed. Asif called again that day, "he was quite irritated this time," Noor says that Asif said they should have given the passport and a copy of his NIC to those men. The family did not hear from him again until they held a protest demonstration against his disappearance. "Asif called us to stop staging demonstrations," Noor says that since then they have not heard from him except, "in March 2007 a case was registered at the Qasimabad Police Station where Asif was charged of a bomb blast and termed a fugitive." Noor thinks this is in retaliation to the petition that they have filed in court against his enforced disappearance. Asif had been actively involved in politics till a few years back. He was associated with JSQM and was considered a well read comrade amongst G.M Syed's entourage. However, in recent years he had not been as active in politics as he used to be and was concentrating on his business. However, a few days before his arrest he had announced plans to hold a 'Peace Conference' during March 2007, where scholars, thinkers and learned people from all over the world would be invited to read their papers. His family doubts that the said conference became the only reasons for his disappearance, "the intelligence must have believed that he has joined politics again." Asif's disappearance has caused his family to suffer a lot, forcing his children to wonder whether their father is alive or not. However recent orders by the Supreme Court to find and produce Asif by September 12 have proved to be a ray of hope among the family. "At least he would be alive and we would be meeting him," says Noor, fearing that Asif would be recovered, but with charges of being anti-state or a terrorist raised against him. However, seeing him alive would be a relief for the family who desperately wish for him to be. Asif's family fears that he might be have been subjected to torture during this period as were the people who have been released after having gone missing for years. Many of the fortunate people released after being detained for years have, apart from accusing agencies for their disappearance, also revealed that they were subjected to mental and physical torture during their detention. Muhammad Yaseen Zafar, 32, was picked up by 50 armed men on August 22, 2006 while he was sleeping at his home in Kazimabad. Yasin was blind folded and taken to an unknown place. "It was a make-shift cell in a house, and the men told me that they were from agencies," Yasin was held there till July 5, 2007, and though he didn't suffer irreparable injuries, he says his incarcerators, "physically tortured" him. Yasin had been to Afghanistan to fight against American occupation after 2001 and had returned after a while. " I was picked in that connection," admits Yasin who, though has been released but can't get rid of the memories of that one year of captivity. "I am scared and my business has gone down the drain," laments Yasin who was involved with an import-export venture before his detention. The memories of that night are still fresh in the mind of his three year old daughter who was sleeping by his side when he was taken away, "though she was only two at that time she still remembers how I was taken away from her. I am suffering all this because my country men aimed at earning dollars in exchange for me," Yasin says in disgust, pointing to the fact that several Pakistani nationals have been reportedly been sent to Guantanamo without being tried for their alleged connection with the Al-Qaeda. Amnesty International claims that several detainees have been sold to the US by "bounty hunters." As the Supreme Court orders the government to release all missing persons by September 21, those who dared to fight along HRCP, Amna Masood and other human rights organizations in court for the recovery of their loved ones hope that they will be released soon. However there are a number of families who have lost hope of meeting their missing loved ones even if they are aware of their whereabouts. Many of these people seem doomed to end their days at Guantanamo Bay. As families hang on to the scarce letters that are sent to them from Guantanamo Bay, they lose all hope of ever meeting the people who write these letters, as they are now out of the Supreme Court's reach. Strange incarceration Among the missing persons, Fahad Bugti is one released person who had gone missing in a very strange manner. Contrary to other disappearances, he was not forcibly taken away as he had himself gone to GHQ Quetta on August 3, 2006, as one of his cousins reveals on the condition of anonymity. Speaking to Kolachi he reveals that Fahad was fighting alongside Akbar Bugti when his brother-in-law and another cousin were picked up by the Army, promising their release in exchange of Fahad. Therefore he went to Quetta GHQ and surrendered. He was promised to be released after a few days of interrogation but was kept there for several months. During the detention he was asked about the whereabouts of Bugti and was released only after the family had used their influence in the parliament. It was learnt by The News that though he was never tortured physically but was made to sleep on the floor with a single blanket even when the temperature fell below zero. It was also learnt that several other Balochi speaking people were detained in the cells adjacent to him. Fahad, when contacted refused to comment saying that, "do you want me to be re-captured as were others after speaking about themselves?" Fahad's cousin reveals that he was released on the condition that he won't speak to the media. keenjhar chronicles If you've got it, flaunt it! Keenjhar Lake is a beautiful freshwater site, which has grabbed imaginations and been a choice spot to picnic at for decades. Despite all its attributes though, it fails to get the attention it deserves in terms of maintenance and government support. By Adeel Pathan Keenjhar Lake is not just
an attractive tourist site, but apparently a poetically inspirational Bearing an important and prominent status in the history of Sindh Keenjhar Lake is located in the historic coastal city of Thatta. It is located 20 kilometers off Thatta with Hyderabad at a distance of 80 kilometers and Karachi with a distance of around 100 kilometers. Keenjhar Lake is spread over an area of 50 square miles with a capacity of 0.524 Million Acre Feet (MAF) of water, with a height of 34 feet and fifteen miles of embankment around the lake. The Indus Indus provides freshwater to the lake through the Kotri Baghar Feeder, commonly known as KB Feeder and also supplies 1000 cusecs of water to Karachi on a regular basis. The beautiful lake however has fallen to neglect as have many other natural and cultural assets in Sindh. To begin with, just the deplorable condition of the roads leading to the lake from Karachi and Hyderabad, the two largest cities in Sindh, smacks of the apathetic attitude of authorities towards making the location a tourism friendly one. To enter the lake
premises, one has to pay a fee of five rupees per person, or 10 to 20 One of the first things one sees upon entering the lakeside is the Pakistan Tourism and Development Corporation resort. The resort is shut down, with its walls and ceiling practically having crumbled to the ground. But such is the lure of this lake, that even the lack of good, cheap food or lack of modern facilities in the only available rest house, and the badly maintained pay toilets do not deter people from visiting it. Kashif, who was visiting the lake with his family from Karachi, complained that the lake does not have the most basic facilities any tourist location should have, and that those responsible for it can easily fix that. He did admit that he was enjoying the fresh lake water immensely. "The government and tourism department should wake up," commented Kashif, "there are no good restaurants around, nor is the only food available very hygienic. Something needs to be done about making the place tourist friendly." Many families picnicking at the lake supported Kashif's remarks. They are not too out of the line, blaming the concerned quarters, as neither the district government of Thatta, nor the provincial departments meant for looking after tourist sites, such as the Sindh Tourism Development Corporation (STDC) are doing a very commendable job. Mohammed Suleman who had arrived at Keenjhar Lake with his family members from Hyderabad told Kolachi that he had come to the lake looking to have a good time, but was simultaneously concerned. "I don't see any lifeguards here," he said, "the authorities should arrange for lifeguards at the lake to ensure safety of visitors." There are some rest houses
on the lakeside built by the police and fisheries departments, Some of the visitors at the lake were of the opinion that the lake as an inexpensive tourist site does not grab the authorities' attention as the more expensive amusement parks in Thatta district seem to fare much better. "The charges and fee of entering into the water park in Thatta district are several times higher than the entrance fee at Keenjhar Lake, but while one will find security around the privately owned amusement parks, it is not true of the lake," said one visitor. The authorities concerned perhaps need to walk out of their glass houses, and visit natural treasures such as the Keenjhar Lake and familiarize themselves with the plight that is befalling the lake, as well as so many other sites that are an asset to the country and potential tourist sites. Sassui Palejo, a Sindh Assembly MPA from Thatta district also blames the district government and provincial authorities for the poor situation prevailing at the lake while talking to Kolachi. "The law and order situation should be improved as a move to attract more visitors to Keenjhar Lake," she said, explaining that it is imperative that security be provided to tourists. Sassui tells Kolachi that she raised this issue in the provincial assembly through a resolution, emphasizing that the situation at the lake needs to be improved, but nothing has been done about it so far. She said that tourism and law and order are interlinked with each other and also stressed the need for deploying life saving guards on the lake to avoid the casualties caused every year in incidents of drowning. Authorities should not just gear their attentions to the lake for the benefit of the media, for example the bus that was run from Karachi to Keenjhar Lake recently, a project that was successful for just a few days. Another step that can be taken to improve conditions and make the lake a more appealing tourist site might be encouragement of international fast food franchises to open outlets at the lake. The provincial and district governments along with the tourism department could abet this endeavour. It should be brought to public attention that dumping trash into the lake is simply not acceptable, and washing vehicles in the lake should be banned as well. As government negligence towards certain places and issues increases, so does the apathy displayed by the public towards the same. Once the authorities acknowledge the importance of national treasures such as the Keenjhar Lake, and make efforts to improve and maintain conditions of the place as well as the people linked to it, it might become that much more a desirable place for tourists to visit, and vacation in. The way we are Fever pitch By Nosheen Sabeeh Cricket is possibly the one and only game, which binds our nation together irrespective of caste and colour. It's a game that connects us to the rest of the world, not as inferior but as equals. When it comes to cricket, Karachiites can easily be labeled as 'passionate'. The game provides fans with mental respite, especially with the general feeling and incidents of unrest in the country. Karachi in particular is quite the magnet when it comes to attracting all sorts of mayhem, but regardless of the way things have been erupting all over the city in recent times, cricket is one pleasure Karachites allow themselves to look forward to with anticipation. However, it has been an ominous journey for the Pakistani cricket since October last year, when former Pakistan captain Inzamam ul Haq refused to come down to the field at Lords, after the umpire thought that Pakistan had tampered with the ball. Since then, Pakistani cricket suffered through one controversy after another. First, the International Cricket Council (ICC) banned the captain from playing in a few matches, and then Pakistan lost the Champions Trophy, followed by the tour of South Africa, which we also lost. The doping charges on the infamous pace bowlers, Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif, and the defeat to the World Cup were just a few of the disheartening things the team as well as the nation faced and the final hit came with the death of Coach Bob Wolmer. At the end of it all, things still looked pretty bleak. Pakistan's foremost all rounder, Abdul Razzaq was left out of the squad for the upcoming twenty20 world cup, so was Mohammad Yousuf, the highest scorer from the previous year and another young cricketer Imran Farhat. All three cricketers were furious for not being given the respect and importance they deserved. The establishment of the ICL (Indian Cricket League) was all the fodder Pakistan needed for another controversy. The ICL are offering outrageous amounts of money in order to woo players. However, the ICC or the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) officially hasn't recognized it yet. Players from all over the world have allegedly signed with the ICL, and Pakistan isn't far behind. Imran Farhat, Inzamam Ul Haq, Mohammad Yousuf and Abdul Razzaq have all supposedly signed with the league. Even Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif had been presented with lucrative offers, which they respectfully declined. When the ICL was established, India's own players didn't sign up, as they were happy with their current standing. One has to wonder, then, why Pakistani players are making so little money in the first place, and how they are so easily swayed by a rivaling country's offer. When asked about the problems of cricket, young Karachiites held different views but one question that was raised by all is this: why can't the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) make informed decisions in the first place? Hussain, a BBA student from Greenich University says, "it's a good thing that all these players signed up with the ICL. They currently are not making much money with the national team. I mean sure, they are earning from it, but not as much as they deserve. To top it all, they weren't selected in the most anticipated game of the year, the upcoming twenty20 world cup. What else were they going to do?" Many young boys in Karachi and the rest of the country hope to become world-renowned cricketers someday and they look to these players for inspiration. The dreams are lofty and the possibilities numerous. But when you think about it, if this is how it ends, then it's not worth it. What's the point of becoming a good player, if due to lack of success and money, one ends up playing for a rival country and possibly being banned from their own. "I wanted to be a cricketer when I was young but things never materialized," says Amir, an engineering student, "now, the way things are happening with the national team, I feel happy sometimes that I didn't take up cricketing as a profession. I mean, you're not paid well and if you try and make some money by playing for other teams or leagues like the ICL, people accuse you of being unpatriotic." "I'm not much of a sports fan," says Sara, a fashion design student, "but cricket is something even I watch passionately. The ways things are happening these days, with the ICL and cricketers resigning, it's just sad". Karachites dream to watch cricket in the city with their friends and family, and not just a match between India and Pakistan, but any team for that matter. Lahore because of its architectural value gets most of the hype and attention, whether its fashion related or Bollywood stars coming in. Karachi tends to suffer cultural setbacks due to its political unrest and high crime rate. And its not as though Karachi has lot of opportunities for entertainment otherwise. Generally, when a team comes for a tour, not many matches are played in Karachi due to security problems and as if all these problems weren't enough, since the past year things have gone haywire within the national team. Ali, a young marketing director and cricket fanatic says, "Pakistan cricket will never be able to raise its standard unless all these controversies finish. I mean, how they can concentrate on cricket with all the additional problems. Something or the other always keeps on happening. People are tired. They want some good entertainment. Good cricket is not just about winning. It's about playing and giving your best but how can they, when they always have to worry about something. And naturally, when you don't select them in the team and the pay in general is mediocre, why won't they sign up with the ICL?" Cricket is one thing which all Karachiites believe in and not just because its a sport. The Pakistani cricket team is a fabulous one, and has put the country on the map with their game. Cricket is something we excel at and can be compared at with the rest of the world, and now that one thing is becoming as dubious as everything in Pakistan has over the last one year. If only the PCB would realize that cricket somehow manages to bring everyone in the country together, regardless of their differences otherwise, perhaps they would make specific, thought out moves to achieve order, cohesion and excellence in the game. karachicharacter Kitchen confidential By Hira Wassan Arshad Ali, or Mullah, as his family, friends and employers call him, is one of the thousands of people who have come to Karachi looking for work. Born in 1978 in Nawabshah,
Mullah enjoys the life and opportunities Karachi has to offer, Kolachi has no doubt that he will... after all he is a proud resident of Pakistan's city of dreams and sees how they can become reality in the vast opportunity this metropolis provides. Kolachi: Have you lived in Karachi all your life? Mullah: No, I used to live in my village in Nawabshah, and had moved to Hyderabad, and later to Karachi looking for work. Kolachi: When did you move here and why? Mullah: Karachi is a good city if one is looking for work. I came here to find work that would earn me enough money to support my family back in the village. Kolachi: How many members do you have in your family? Mullah: We are five brothers and one sister; my siblings live with my mother. I am married and have a son. Kolachi: What do you do for a living? Mullah: I have been working as a cook for a family for the last six years. Kolachi: What do you like best about Karachi? Mullah: Karachi is
Pakistan's land of opportunities, if one is looking for employment and good
money, this is the place to be. Having said that, Karachi is not all about
work, it is a Kolachi: Do you go out a lot when you aren't working, and what is your favorite place to hang out? Mullah: I like going to the Clifton beach with my friends, and also to Quaid-e-Azam's mazaar, to offer Fateha and just kick back. Kolachi: How has Karachi changed over the years? Mullah: It has changed immensely. It was never a peaceful city, but over the last seven odd years that I have been here, it seems as though the crime rate is just going up, without a check on it. Incidents of violence have become more frequent as well. Kolachi: Is there anything about Karachi that you don't like? Mullah: I don't like the weather here at all! Back in my village, the air is clean and pure, while in Karachi it is polluted and muggy. The water here too is not very clean, which is another thing I miss about my village; the water was clean and sweet. Kolachi: What makes Karachi special to you? Mullah: Apart from being an ideal place to find work, Karachi is also very business friendly. If one has enough capital and the inclination, it would be easy to start up a business. Kolachi: How does it feel living through a normal Karachi day? Mullah: Karachi is a cosmopolitan city, and living here is an experience that I feel good about. People from all over the country live and work here and interact with each other. One gets to experience a broader spectrum of things than they would in their village or any of the other smaller cities. Living in Karachi teaches a lot of things, one has to be street smart and clever to survive in this city. Kolachi: Would you rather stay in Karachi or go back to your village? Mullah: Obviously I will not make the kind of money I make here in my village. However, to me, the money is Karachi's greatest pull. If I find a job with a good salary in my village I would love to go back and live with my family there. Kolachi: Is it hard for you to live here in Karachi? Mullah: Yes it is quite hard to live here; Karachi isn't a safe place to live in anymore. Although if one is looking to just visit the place and have fun, it's ideal. Kolachi: Do you like the family you work for, and do they treat you well? Mullah: I have been working for this family for a long time, and they treat me like a member of their family. Kolachi: Have you made friends with anyone in Karachi over the last few years? Mullah: I have made friends with most shopkeepers and sales boys I interact with; I am also very good friends with my fellow cooks and drivers. Kolachi: Do you like being a cook? Mullah: Not any more! I tend to burn myself often when I am cooking and am kind of bored of it now. Kolachi: What would you like to do if not cooking? Mullah: I would like to start up my own business, if I ever get together enough money, perhaps a medical store. Mullah is aware of the reality of Karachi, but at the same time he does not bash the city that has given him a chance at life that living elsewhere might not have. He does not pronounce Karachiites as rude or unapproachable, but acknowledges that to get along with them, one needs adapt to the pace of life they have set for themselves. Karachi has taught him to strive to reach new heights. Accepting differences, yet encouraging progress, such is Karachi's character.
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that they were tall, well built and while scouring through the house said,
horror-stricken as he burst in to tears while talking to her, "he was
terrified and cried like a baby when he said good-bye," recalls
Shumaila, for whom life has become miserable after Shafquat's disappearance;
he was the sole breadwinner of the family and the only son to take care of
his old parents.
one too. Deriving its name from two Sanskrit words, keen and jhar, which
literally translate into 'deep water', Keenjhar Lake inspired Sufi poet Shah
Abdul Latif Bhitai to write verses on it. The word keenjhar is used
proverbially in Sindhi as well, to describe lushness and fertility. It is
culturally significant too, as fishermen communities of the Gandra clan were
known as Keenjhar.
rupees for a car or bus.
but they are not open to the general public. However, local fishermen have
also built makeshift huts which they rent out to tourists. As these huts are
not very well kept either, most tourists bring along tents when visiting the
lake.
and has managed to make himself comfortable in the metropolis helped by the
fact that he has made himself familiar with the city, and made friends.
Although he is a skilled cook, he feels that it is better to have one's own
business in the long run, and hopes to get there someday.
great
place to have fun in. There are so many places one can go and enjoy
themselves at in their free time.