Bilal Kaka: Tensions remain high in Karachi over death of nationalist party worker, '90 people detained 'for rioting
Tensions following the death of nationalist party worker Bilal Kaka during a brawl at a hotel in Hyderabad, Sindh's second-largest city, are still being felt in Karachi on Friday, with riots in the Sohrab Goth area. Police and Rangers have since been deployed in the area.
According to police officials in Karachi, 190 suspects have been arrested so far since Thursday's riots.
The situation in Sohrab Goth area remained tense for the second day on Friday and another vehicle was set on fire.
SSP Abdul Rahim Shirazi said it was the structure of an Alto vehicle that was set on fire and about 30 suspects were detained at the scene.
On Thursday, Karachi police arrested about 50 suspects, 40 of whom have been booked in formal cases, including anti-terrorism provisions, at Sohrab Goth and Mobina Town police stations.
A heavy contingent of police and Rangers is present at Sohrab Goth and Motorway on Friday to maintain traffic flow and maintain law and order while Rangers are also patrolling in Hyderabad. Rangers are constantly patrolling the area of Qasimabad where Bilal Kaka was killed.
It may be recalled that the Hotel Association had announced that if the hotels and businesses of Pashtuns in Sindh were not allowed to open on Friday, they would protest in the afternoon.
Earlier, besides the provincial government, Sindhi and Pashtun parties had approached each other to reduce tensions, calling it a conspiracy.
Riots in Karachi
The road leading to the motorway and bus stand in Sohrab Goth, a Pashtun-majority area in Karachi, was vandalized by angry people on Thursday evening. Aerial firing was also carried out during this time.
According to details, the local body election office of Pakistan Peoples Party and JUI was attacked. In addition, vehicles coming from Hyderabad were pelted with stones and one vehicle was also set on fire.
He said that along with the motorway, the Lyari Expressway and the road leading to Safora Goth were also closed to traffic.
Liaison between government and parties
Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon contacted Awami National Party leader Shahi Syed and Qaumi Awami Tehreek chief Ayaz Latif Palejo and asked them to play a positive role in establishing peace and brotherhood. According to Sharjeel Memon, the two leaders assured their full cooperation and efforts.
Sharjeel Inam Memon says that one accused has been arrested in the case of the murdered youth. Police have arrested some youths who damaged business property after the incident.
On the other hand, Awami National Party Sindh President Shahi Syed has contacted National Awami Tehreek leader Ayaz Latif Palejo. The two agreed that those who created misunderstandings between Sindhis and Pashtuns would not succeed in their goals, the statement said.
The brotherhood of GM Syed, Rasool Bakhsh Palejo and Bacha Khan is a beacon for Sindhis and Pakhtuns and there is no quarrel between them in the name of nationality.
The two leaders demanded that all those involved in Bilal's murder be arrested. The land of Sindh is owned by the Sindhi brothers and the Pakhtuns are living here by working hard.
Meanwhile, Sanaan Qureshi, chairman of Jai Sindh Qaumi Mahaz, said that the wind of linguistics was blowing in Sindh so Sindhis should remain peaceful and not fall prey to anarchy. He referred to the friendship between GM Syed and Bacha Khan and said that Sindh has given shelter to outsiders but the real heirs of Sindh are the original locals, targeting and killing people is reprehensible.
Protests and Pashtun businesses shut down
A sit-in was called in Qasimabad including the body of Bilal Kaka under the leadership of Jai Sindh Qaumi Mahaz leader Niaz Kalani. They demanded that anti-terrorism provisions be included in all cases and arrest of all the accused be carried out.
Hyderabad SSP Amjad Sheikh held talks with the protesters' leadership and assured them that their demands would be met.
Nationalist parties declared the hotel owners Afghans, which led to protests in several cities in Sindh. Nationalist parties Jai Sindh Qaumi Mahaz, Jai Sindh Mahaz, Sindh United Party staged protest rallies in about a dozen cities and towns including Hyderabad, Shikarpur, Sukkur, Nawabshah, Sehwan, Tando Muhammad Khan and Meher. It was decided to evict Afghans from Sindh.
Some videos also surfaced on social media showing young Pashtun shopkeepers in Sehwan, Nawabshah, Qasimabad, Hyderabad and Tando Muhammad Khan closing their shops. The situation in Jamshoro and Kotri became tense when hotels were vandalized and five activists of nationalist parties were injured in the firing.
How did it happen
''The incident took place on the night of July 12 in the Qasimabad area of Hyderabad when youths and hotel management clashed while eating at a hotel.''
Bilal Kaka's brother Salam Kaka has taken a stand in the case filed at Bhattai Nagar police station that at 3:15 pm, his friend Aamir Khan reported on the phone that his brother Bilal Kaka was killed in a quarrel with the Sultan Hotel owners. Friends have been injured and they are taking the body and the injured in a rickshaw to the Civil Hospital.
According to Salam Kaka, he rushed to the Civil Hospital where he saw Bilal's body lying on a stretcher. There was an injury on the right side above the ear that was bleeding, and there were obvious signs of injuries on the back and other parts of the body.
Postmortem report
According to Bilal Kaka's autopsy report, 35-year-old Bilal died due to damage to his internal organs. The report said that vital organs of his body were damaged by a sharp object which resulted in his death.
Bilal's friends Sarfraz alias Jani Sanjarani, Imran Khan, Zeeshan Jamali and Waqar Patoli, who were present there, claimed that they had gone to eat at the Sultan Hotel at night where they were eating.
They allege that they went to the owner, Shahsawar Khan, to lodge a complaint. He also abused me and at the same time called his sons and comrades who attacked him with sharp bars in which Bilal was injured and fell down. When people began to gather around, they opened fire and drove away.
Lack of police interest
Videos of the altercation in Qasimabad have also gone viral on social media, showing an injured man shouting, "We are being killed, the police are silent."
Hyderabad SSP Amjad Sheikh said that a police mobile was present and no action was taken and a committee has been formed to investigate.
Police had arrested hotel owner Shahsawar Khan, who has been remanded in custody for two days by the Civil Judge and Judicial Magistrate's Court.
Who was Bilal Kaka?
Bilal Kaka was from New Saeedabad on the National Highway near Hyderabad. He studied till ninth standard and worked as a security supervisor in a private educational institution in Hyderabad. They were married three years ago and have a daughter and a son.
Bilal also remained active in nationalist politics. He belonged to the Sindhi nationalist party Jai Sindh Qaumi Mahaz.
On the other hand, Bhattai Nagar police in Qasimabad said that Bilal Kaka was wanted in various cases and 12 cases have been registered against him, including anti-terrorism charges. There are also charges of illegal possession of firearms and attempted murder. The cases have been filed in Hyderabad and its suburbs Tando Jam and Matiari.
Bilal's brother Salam Kaka denies the allegations. Speaking to the BBC, he said his brother was a loving and funny man. "These cases are from the past. Now let's tell the cases."