The year 2010 is turning out to be an extremely violent one for the city, as around 889 people have been murdered and some 260 killed in target killing incidents during the last six months, says a report released by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP). Last year, 884 murders and 156 targeted killings were reported.
The report states that the HRCP is deeply concerned over the rising incidents of murders and target killings despite repeated assurances by the government that all steps would be taken to control the spate of killings.
Among the victims of the target killings, 139 were affiliated with political parties while 105 were apolitical. The figure also includes 16 people killed in different incidents of sectarian violence.
The data states that 34 workers of the MQM-Haqiqi have been killed in the last six months, followed by the Muhattida Qaumi Movement with 22 workers. The Awami National Party had lost around 16 party workers while 11 members of the Pakistan People’s Party have been killed. The Sunni Tehreek has lost four of its members, while three each from the Sipah-e-Sahaba and the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) have been killed.
Meanwhile, some 889 murders have been reported over the last six months, which includes 99 women and 39 children. A majority of the murders took place in June when 181 people were killed.
The East Zone of the city has witnessed more bloodshed than any other zone with 274 murders, followed by 204 in the South, 187 in West, 154 in Central and 70 in Malir district.
Around 113 people have been killed in incidents of personal enmity, 77 kidnapped and killed, 47 killed during robbery, 40 people in the Lyari gang war, 27 dead in bomb blasts, and19 killed by stray bullets, five killed by police torture, four killed in jails, and others.
Violent incidents against women have also been on the rise during the last six months as around 42 women have been killed in the first six months of the year as compared to 42 women killed in 2009. Meanwhile, 39 children in different incidents have been killed so far.
