ASIA/PAKISTAN - Violence and murder, the Taliban have arrived in Karachi: the Church launches the alarm

Karachi (Agenzia Fides) - A generalized violence grips by fear Karachi, South Pakistan's port city: ways and strategies to stop it are urgently required, also because in the city "the Taliban are actively working," reports the local Catholic Church to Fides. "I am very sad and worried because every day we have a record of 10-12 people killed by violence in the city. I have visited many families affected by this senseless violence, I blessed them, ensuring the support of the Church, " says to Fides Agency His Exc. Mgr. Joseph Coutts, Archbishop of Karachi. The local Church, through the Commission "Justice and Peace" has given a contribution of 50,000 rupees (525 U.S. dollars) to five Christian families who have recently lost their loved ones in a wave of killings. The Archbishop gave a mandate to the Commission to follow the families, give them support and ensure the education of their children. According to data released by the authorities, in the first eight months of 2012, 1,725 people were killed in what was described as "a war of the road."
"Karachi is a city without peace and the people live in the nightmare of violence. Terrorist groups roam freely. Every day in some areas of the city there are murders and violence. The government seems helpless and unable to stop the fundamentalist groups and terrorists, " says to Fides Noel Alfonce, diocesan coordinator of the Commission" Justice and Peace ".
"The clashes between political parties and their terrorist wings play a fundamental role in the war of blood being held in Karachi. In addition, the factions of the Taliban have begun to actively work in the city, " he adds. As recounted in recent months by Fides Agency, in particular targeted violence and killings of Christians were recorded in Esssa Nagri, ghetto-district, home to 50 thousand faithful. In Essa Nagri, only in September 2012 five young Christians were killed by gunfire by unidentified terrorists (see Fides 17 and 29/09/2012). (PA) (Agenzia Fides 12/01/2013)