Parveen Rehman, social worker and OPP director, shot in Karachi

[LegCutter]

http://tribune.com.pk/story/520616/targeted-killing-opp-director-gunned-down-in-karachi/

Rehman was being driven back home when she was killed by armed men at the Qasba Mor point, according to the police.
“This seems to be a targeted attack. The killers had come on a motorcycle,” said DIG West Javed Odho, adding that she was struck by two bullets, while her car received another three. He added that investigations were underway.
Bakht Nawab, a taxi driver, who witnessed the incident, told The Express Tribune that two men on a red motorcycle opened fire on Rehman’s car near the Pashtun market on Manghopir road. Nawab added that the driver then drove the car towards Banaras Bridge.
The murder has shocked Rehman’s colleagues who said she did not have any personal enmity and worked mostly on projects for the uplift of the poor areas.
While it remains unclear if Rehman or the OPP had received threats, some of her work might have supposedly irked some influential persons.
Besides working on the illegal occupation of land in and around Orangi, Qasba and Gadap, Rehman had also mapped out illegal water hydrants around the city.
According to one colleague, her work was related to the mapping of 2,173 villages, as well as the marking of around 8,000 illegal hydrants.
“She did research on land encroachment. She knew about politically-backed influential people who were selling the same plots to a number of individuals and making million out of such dirty deals,” a colleague remarked.
The police said Rehman normally used the road via the Qaddafi Chowk to go home but on Wednesday, she took the Banaras bridge route.
A colleague recalled, “Around 7:10pm when I called her she warned me against taking the Banaras Bridge route due to deteriorating law and order as I was with a few foreigners.” He added he did not understand why she took the same route herself.
Rehman never married and remained committed to her work. She lived with her mother in Gulstan-e-Johar.
“I can’t believe this has happened,” cried a colleague who had worked with Rehman for 26 years.

Top Comment says it all: No public outrage, no mullahs screaming, no Fazlur Rehman on the scene, no TV anchors frothing at the mouth, no indignation from Hamid Gul or A.Q. Khan (the great torchbearers of Islamic piety), and yet this is a woman who has spent years trying to help others without seeking her own advantage, quite unlike Hafiz Saeed. Shows where the public morality lies!

 

[Down2Earth]

Now this filth is even targeting women.

 

[Fateh]

top comment says it all: No public outrage, no mullahs screaming, no fazlur rehman on the scene, no tv anchors frothing at the mouth, no indignation from hamid gul or a.q. Khan (the great torchbearers of islamic piety), and yet this is a woman who has spent years trying to help others without seeking her own advantage, quite unlike hafiz saeed. Shows where the public morality lies!

r.i.p

 

[Bashira_taeli]

This lady was mapping settlements in Karachi using satellite images, and it was showing massive corruption and land grabbing of different political parties. That is the reason she has been killed.

Expect total silence from the Pakistani media. Journalists of Karachi are scared sh!tless of MQM, ANP and other militant political parties.

 

[the Great Khan]

no objection from the quaid sitting in egdeware?? but then they probably did this anyway! These scum have turned karachi into a hellhole..the sooner we are rid of these scum the better..

Allah inko Janat naseeb karay, people like her are real shaheeds!

 

[Eagle_Eye]

Usual suspects here gone all quite too... Its clear she was working against the interests of the Mafia party in karachi and they silenced her.

 

[Bewal Express]

I hope somebody in Karachi continues her battle. An evil act!

 

[Zarrar]

Usual suspects here gone all quite too... Its clear she was working against the interests of the Mafia party in karachi and they silenced her.

Including the OP, who was clearly trying to deflect the blame from the real culpirts sitting in the Edgeware, Defense, Clifton mansions (masquerading as muddle class representatives), by going on a ridiculous diatribe against mullahs, Hamid Gul and Hafiz Saeed...

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Including the OP, who was clearly trying to deflect the blame from the real culpirts sitting in the Edgeware, Defense, Clifton mansions (masquerading as muddle class representatives), by going on a ridiculous diatribe against mullahs, Hamid Gul and Hafiz Saeed...

I don't think the OP had read the article properly and jumped the gun. Must be feeling sheepish now.

 

[Zarrar]

I hope somebody in Karachi continues her battle. An evil act!

And get killed by MQM like so many others before and after her...

You all should forget about Karachi...it's a one man's feifdom and there is no writ of the central government nor a basic semblance of justice, even the wild tribal areas have a basic jirga system where matters can be equitably settled...

In Karachi, who ever bids the highest gets edgeware bhai's services rendered in the most brutal and efficient manner...no matter how wrong or evil the service required...

 

[saadibaba]

I was thinking of putting this up on PP myself yesterday but then thought, what's new....another life lost in Karachi, another person who was selflessly working for the betterment of the poor and downtrodden people silenced by mafia, thugs, political party goons etc. Its just extremely sad to hear someone like her being killed for simply trying to help people who don't get help from anyone else.

OPP is a great project. I first learned about it in a book I read on Karachi called "Instant City" by Steve Inskeep from NPR. There was a whole section on OPP and this lady's interview and picture in the book. As soon as I read the news my first reaction was, I hope its not the same person I read about because I got very inspired by her story and the work she has done. Even seriously thought of joining OPP one day and helping out in some way.

Even in that book which is an year old at least, she talked about her being harassed by land mafia affiliated with ethnic parties. But she had courage while the rest of us sit and pontificate over what system is best for Pakistan and how this party or that group is evil and talks of change through elections or martial law, blah blah.....this lady was out there doing something about it. She was risking her life on a daily basis, working with little pay, living in a middle class area of Karachi when she could have been working for big hotels, making a lot more money and wouldn't have to deal with constant pressure and threats. But she refused to take the easy way out like me and most of us. She followed her passion and made a difference in poor people's lives.

She is a real hero. Her death is a tragedy of the highest order and sadly Karachi has lost another bright and compassionate soul. May her soul rest in peace and I wish someone braver than me is able resume her great legacy.

 

[waqar_ahmad]

It is quite obvious who would want to kill her. The major parties who are powerful in karachi, and are involved in land grabbing.

Expect silence on this from them, and their usual fans

 

[LegCutter]

Including the OP, who was clearly trying to deflect the blame from the real culpirts sitting in the Edgeware, Defense, Clifton mansions (masquerading as muddle class representatives), by going on a ridiculous diatribe against mullahs, Hamid Gul and Hafiz Saeed...

I don't think the OP had read the article properly and jumped the gun. Must be feeling sheepish now.

That wasnt my own comment. I quoted the Top Comment on Express Tribune.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

That wasnt my own comment. I quoted the Top Comment on Express Tribune.

Well you said "the top comment says it all" which does imply you agreed with it. Otherwise why quote it in the first place?

 

[saadibaba]

The top comment in ET misplaces the whole debate. The outrage should not be about why there is no outrage from so and so, it should be about why killings like these have become commonplace. Why the value of life has been reduced to such a degree that barely an eyebrow gets raised by our collective media and masses when someone like her gets gunned out for doing nothing more than helping poor people. The outrage should be about why our govt. is unable to protect people like her. Why has land mafia beocme so powerful that no one is willing to confront them. Where is the political will and unity in taking out such elements from our society. Why the ruling political parties in Karachi somehow or another linked with these mafia's and elements. Thats where the outrage should be directed at rather than pointing our guns at people like Maulana Diesel and Hamid Gul who have nothing to do with this murder.

 

[waqar_ahmad]

TThe outrage should be about why our govt. is unable to protect people like her. Why has land mafia beocme so powerful that no one is willing to confront them.

The govt IS the land mafia. Who rules in karachi? We all know the answer to that question

 

[saadibaba]

The govt IS the land mafia. Who rules in karachi? We all know the answer to that question

Its MQM, ANP and PPP, all of them. In that book I mentioned she was getting threats from land mafia affiliated with an ethnic 'Pashtun' party. But who knows, goons from MQM may have killed her. In any case, I think its a disservice to her memory if we start with the petty political point scoring rather than mourning her loss and celebrating her service to humanity.

 

[cricketworm]

I think it has become a sin for good people live longer.

Thanks for your Posts Saadibaba.

 

[LegCutter]

Well you said "the top comment says it all" which does imply you agreed with it. Otherwise why quote it in the first place?

I suppose that did misplace the debate. Saadibaba says it well, the anger should be on why these killings are commonplace, not on why so-and-so are showing anger. My mistake.

 

[waqar_ahmad]

Its MQM, ANP and PPP, all of them. In that book I mentioned she was getting threats from land mafia affiliated with an ethnic 'Pashtun' party. But who knows, goons from MQM may have killed her. In any case, I think its a disservice to her memory if we start with the petty political point scoring rather than mourning her loss and celebrating her service to humanity.

Not point scoring. I just answered your questions why was she not protected by the govt. And I agree, it's all 3 parties, not just one

 

[munda_khi]

It is quite obvious who would want to kill her. The major parties who are powerful in karachi, and are involved in land grabbing.

Expect silence on this from them, and their usual fans

isn't this contradiction in itself. if its major parties in karachi then its not obvious who want to kill her or you mean its a joint operation.

 

[saadibaba]

I think it has become a sin for good people live longer.

Thanks for your Posts Saadibaba.

You are welcome CW. It really pains me to see the way things are going in my country. People like her are just special. They have some God given strength and courage which I cannot honestly imagine ever having. OPP is such an amazing project. Its these small non-profits and charitable orgs. who are making a difference. Our govt. has failed, our military has failed, our civil institutions have failed. We are a failed country. We have no one to turn to but these indivduals and groups who are trying their best and putting their neck on the line everyday to make a difference. If our country is ever able to pull through all that is happening, it will be because of people like her. So you can imagine how painful it must be to read about her demise.

 

[munda_khi]

This lady was mapping settlements in Karachi using satellite images, and it was showing massive corruption and land grabbing of different political parties. That is the reason she has been killed.

Expect total silence from the Pakistani media. Journalists of Karachi are scared sh!tless of MQM, ANP and other militant political parties.

what abou journalists of other part of karachi

 

[IgnitedMind]

Rest in Peace ....

you know at some point....people have to react....this is insane in so many levels...a bomb goes of every two days...good normal people getting killed very frequently...kids getting shot...

now I believe..and it is true that ....99% of Pakistanis are normal people....good people like any others....silence is so sad....some students...or a organization....make your voice heard...

Just saw a CNN article on how 8 yrs to 11 yrs olds recruited for suicide bombing...I wanted to post it....but then people would look at my flag than the article..so I thought there would be no point..but may be a a pakistani will if he is interested
but seriously.....I wish Imran Khan atleast wins ....Silence is defeaning !!!

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

I suppose that did misplace the debate. Saadibaba says it well, the anger should be on why these killings are commonplace, not on why so-and-so are showing anger. My mistake.

You'd have been better off just asking one of the mods or admin to delete the thread. Frankly, calling out saadibaba in your defence hasn't done him any favours either.

 

[Looney]

RIP Parveen Rehman . RIP Karachi .

 

[Waseem]

Some wannabe "Liberals" are missing from this thread and i know why. This lady in one of her interviews disclosed that she is receiving threats from MQM and ANP. She even named MQM MPA Abdul Quddus who threatened to kill her.

Shameless creatures still support thugs and terrorists

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Some wannabe "Liberals" are missing from this thread and i know why. This lady in one of her interviews disclosed that she is receiving threats from MQM and ANP. She even named MQM MPA Abdul Quddus who threatened to kill her.

Shameless creatures still support thugs and terrorists

Liberals is probably the wrong description in this case. Sell-outs would be more appropriate.

 

[Zarrar]

Watch the characters who are mourning the death of Karachi at the hands of PPP and MQM, the two biggest parties/stake holders...will bring to the defence of these same parties elsewhere...

That is the real delimma of Pakistan...

 

[Zarrar]

Some wannabe "Liberals" are missing from this thread and i know why. This lady in one of her interviews disclosed that she is receiving threats from MQM and ANP. She even named MQM MPA Abdul Quddus who threatened to kill her.

Shameless creatures still support thugs and terrorists

The more appropriate term would be extreme secularist...cause one thing they all have in common is not liberalism in the true sense of the word...rather seething and unwavering hate of religion, in Pakistan's case Islam...

So, I'd call them Islam-haters...

 

[cricketworm]

You are welcome CW. It really pains me to see the way things are going in my country. People like her are just special. They have some God given strength and courage which I cannot honestly imagine ever having. OPP is such an amazing project. Its these small non-profits and charitable orgs. who are making a difference. Our govt. has failed, our military has failed, our civil institutions have failed. We are a failed country. We have no one to turn to but these indivduals and groups who are trying their best and putting their neck on the line everyday to make a difference. If our country is ever able to pull through all that is happening, it will be because of people like her. So you can imagine how painful it must be to read about her demise.

Somehow people need to be patriotic ... somehow they need to get that pride back and take back country again. Don't know how it's going to happen or who is going to inspire for that to happen, but it must happen. I don't know what I am saying! I am probably just baffling as after reading about few political parties here and listening to talk from my pakistani co-workers, I see no proper solution other than magical filmy one that I have just suggested. If IK doesn't win, I hope country doesn't crumble even more! I probably have to stop coming to Time pass!

 

[saadibaba]

Somehow people need to be patriotic ... somehow they need to get that pride back and take back country again. Don't know how it's going to happen or who is going to inspire for that to happen, but it must happen. I don't know what I am saying! I am probably just baffling as after reading about few political parties here and listening to talk from my pakistani co-workers, I see no proper solution other than magical filmy one that I have just suggested. If IK doesn't win, I hope country doesn't crumble even more! I probably have to stop coming to Time pass!

CW bro, we have been lugging on for the last five years, I'm sure even if IK doesn't win, heavens will not fall, we will continue to drag on. Things are not going to get significantly better in the next few years no matter what happens, it will be a slow and gradual process. I just hope that we have finally hit rock bottom and that we don't go any further in the hole. And please, don't ever stop coming to Timepass, you are among the few sane people around here.

 

[LegCutter]

You'd have been better off just asking one of the mods or admin to delete the thread. Frankly, calling out saadibaba in your defence hasn't done him any favours either.

Or maybe you can stop hanging over it and continue with the discussion like everyone else is doing?

 

[waqar_ahmad]

Some wannabe "Liberals" are missing from this thread and i know why. This lady in one of her interviews disclosed that she is receiving threats from MQM and ANP. She even named MQM MPA Abdul Quddus who threatened to kill her.

Shameless creatures still support thugs and terrorists

Wait for some time. I am hoping they will show up with some lame excuses and pathetic rants that they have been taught while growing up

 

[Looney]

Just thought I would say this here that OPP was a much needed project after the Biharis of East Pakistan had to abandon everything and come to Karachi . When they settled in Orangi , there was not a lot of population in that area . People started from using plastic bags , branches from trees , pretty much anything they could find to build a make do shelter . There was no proper sewage system or anything of that sort . The people were looted on their way to Pakistan , they had not much left , except the clothes on their bodies .

Enter Akhter Hameed Khan - he told the people there to help themselves . They collected chanda and started working on providing very basic infrastructure . I am not surprised Parveen Rehman , an educated lady who could have lived a better life and made a lot more money elsewhere , chose this project . She was also a Bihari of East Pakistani origin . This project must have been close to her heart .

Though it maybe an insult to her memory and her great work she has done , it is an important to talk about the land mafia . From what I have read in the news , her focus on going after the qabza group in Qasba , Gadap - it is pretty obvious who could be involved here for the law enforcement agencies .

This also reminds me of what Mohammad Hanif said about the lack of resources in Karachi in comparison to the exploding population there . The property prices keep going up , there is going to be bloodshed over it for sure if the government is not going to keep a check on it .

 

[Sir-fraz]

'Law enforcement helpless before land, water mafias,' says SC during Parween Rehman murder case

The Supreme Court on Tuesday, while hearing a case pertaining to the 2013 murder of social worker Parween Rehman, admonished law enforcement agencies, saying they seemed "helpless before land and water mafias".

"This matter is turning into a mystery," remarked Justice Ijazul Ahsan, who was part of the bench. "Six years have gone by already, what are the law enforcement agencies doing?"

The three-member bench, headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial, asked Babar Bakht Qureshi, who is heading the joint investigation team (JIT) probing the matter, about the findings of the case. Qureshi said that there were no major developments and urged the court to give the JIT more time to investigate. He told the bench that since the murder happened six years ago, the JIT could not obtain any data through geofencing.

Justice Ahsan told Qureshi that the JIT had been constituted because law enforcement agencies were not doing their job.

"What are law enforcement agencies doing since 2013? Are these mafias out of their reach?" asked Justice Ahsan.

"Mafias have killed people who are involved in social work," said Justice Bandial.

The court granted Qureshi two months to wrap up investigation and directed him to submit an interim report in three weeks.

Read: JIT sees ‘land mafia’ behind Perween Rehman’s murder

In June, it emerged that investigators were still trying to collect “basic forensic and circumstantial evidence” related to the murder as two joint investigation teams reportedly overlooked the basic things to resolve the mystery surrounding the high-profile killing.

This disclosure came in an interim report filed in the Supreme Court, where the slain activist’s sister Aquila Ismail moved an application for reinvestigation of the case by the Federal Investigation Agency.

Rehman, a social worker who devoted her life to the development of the impoverished neighbourhoods across the country, was shot dead near her office in Orangi Town in 2013.

The very next day, police killed a Taliban operative named Qari Bilal in an encounter and claimed he was the murderer, resulting in a closure of the case.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan in April 2014 ordered authorities to conduct a fresh probe into Parveen Rehman's murder after a judicial inquiry had revealed that police officers had manipulated the investigation.

A JIT report in 2018 had explained three possible theories behind the motive — the work of TTP or the jihadi elements against the vision of Rehman; second, the illegal water and hydrant mafia in the city; and lastly, the organised crime groups involved in land-grabbing because she was striving to help residents of Goth Abad Schemes to secure their land rights.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1508385/l...ias-says-sc-during-parween-rehman-murder-case

 

[SensiblePakFan]

Sad.

 

[Deewana Mastana]

Everything is a mafia which is why things do not work in Pakistan and there is nobody to put a stop onto things.