Download PDF file - Human Rights Commission of Pakistan

claimed later to be a worker of Jamaat Islami. 110 Following this incident, ambulances could not
reach the affected areas with the result that many severely injured died on the roadside.
Another Edhi driver, Obaid Rehman, filed an FIR claiming he was injured whilst the
victim he was transporting was shot dead by assailants 111 . There is also another reported
incident of an Edhi driver being targeted in Baldia Town. While bullets damaged the
ambulance, the driver managed to get away. 112
3.8 Damage to property
The violence caused considerable damage to property resulting in economic losses.
Damage was mostly done to private stores, private vehicles, police stations, MQM offices 113 ,
the PPP secretariat, AAJ Television building, and the Women’s Room in the City Court 114 .
Most of the property damage was done by, reportedly, people belonging to various political
parties. Much of this damage was done after the major ambushes on rallies took place on May
12.
There were a few instances of participants at rallies setting vehicles on fire. This was
mainly done because the vehicles were placed in a way that many found themselves enclosed
and unable to move forward. Presumably this was done out of frustration and an attempt to
move forward. In other instances, armed activists were firing at private vehicles at rallies or
those caught in crossfire. As a result, seven Edhi ambulances were also damaged.
Much of the damage was mainly done in various neighborhoods seemingly as
retaliation to the news of the ambushes on the rallies. These kinds of attacks took an overtly
political and ethnic tone. Qasba Colony bore the brunt of the damage when a mob set a hotel
on fire as well as 3 motorcycles and two shops. 115 Lyari, as well, was another area where
property was damaged. PPP activists attacked a police post in the Aath Chowk area 116 where
the policemen fled and the post was set on fire. In Keamari an MQM office was ransacked
and set on fire. Additionally, a medical store owned by an MQM supporter in the Sarbazi area
was also set on fire. 117
HRCP
The violence caused considerable economic losses. Air and rail services were
disrupted, with outgoing passengers failing to reach the airport or the railway station on time
and incoming passengers stranded at the airport or in trains that stopped at Malir and Landhi
stations. Several flights and outgoing trains had to be cancelled. Business activity also came to
a virtual halt. Business activity was largely suspended. According to SITE Association of
industry sources, about 60-85 percent of industrial units were shut and those too had 20-25
percent attendance. Government and private sector offices, banks, wholesale and retail
markets remained largely closed. Export consignments too could not reach the port and
logistics operations at the port remained sluggish 118 .
110
Jang 13 May (j)
111
Jang 14 May (d)
112
Jang 15 May (h)
113
Jang 13 May (d)
114
Ummat 16 May (b)
115
Ummat 14 May (c)
116
Dawn 13 May (i), Express 13 May (h).
117
Dawn 14 May (f), Ummat 14 May (c).
118
See Daily Times, “Violence halts business activity in metropolis”, May 13, 2007; The News, “ Industry,
commerce comes to a halt”, May 13, 2007
30