Carnage in Karachi – A city under siege
A Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) report on the events of May 12th 2007
Excerpt:
This report does not presume to pre-empt or anticipate the outcomes of the processes of accountability that have been initiated in the courts and elsewhere. Its aim is more limited. It attempts to create a record based on newspaper reports, testimonies and accounts provided by eyewitnesses and affidavits relating to the events in Karachi on May 12. Much of the material used in this report is already in the public domain. In the politically charged atmosphere that prevailed in the city, “facts” became contested almost as soon as they were first reported.
This report does not start with a particular brief for or against any actor. As a starting position, it takes at face value what was said, observed and reported. It tries to corroborate various factual accounts through a method of triangulation wherever possible. Where there appear to be unresolved contradictions between various accounts of the same event, the conflicting accounts are reported. The report does, however, provide analysis of events, patterns of action, and the responses of various players present or active in the events of May 12. It is hoped that the factual reporting and the analysis provided here will be augmented, improved and corrected as more witnesses and stakeholders come forward and provide their inputs into the report.
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The Report is available for sale from the Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad offices for Rs. 150. The soft copy will be made available online at the HRCP website soon.
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UPDATE: The report is now available on the HRCP website. “Carnage in Karachi – A city under siege 12/05/07” Now on the HRCP Website
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