***On a fence mending visit to Islamabad in mid-January, US Defence Secretary William Perry described Pakistan as the "key to peace and stability" in South Asia. Residents of Karachi, the country's commercial capital would first like to see peace and stability in their troubled home city.***

PAKISTAN'S commercial capital la being silenced Uy fear Karachi's 12 million residents find themselves under siege from .Invisible gunmen, endless strikes and bomb threats in a round of violence which has claimed about 200 fives

Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto claims that the violence is caused by India-trailled terrorists and Is exaggerated by the press

But Mansoor, a young man from the poor area of Korangi. knows that he Is witnessing a battle for control of Karachi

The key protagonists belong to the Mohajir community of Urdu-speaking refugees who came to Pakistan from India at the Mme of independence In 1947. The community provides the bulk of Karachi s ed orated — and angry — unemployed

Tension with other ethnic groups In Karachi, along with military rule in the 1980s. which sought to pit Mohajirs against supporters of Bhutto from lier stronghold In Sindh, have brought the city to the brink ol civil war

Monsoor Is literally caught in the cross-fire. In Korangi clear battle lines are drawn between the Mohajir National Movement (MQM) led by Altaf Hussain and Its breakaway Haqiql faction, which was sponsored by the army to dif fuse the MQM's unexpectedly large- following Korangi Streets are deserted by nightfall. as hitmen from both groups take up position on each side of the main Korangi Road and fire at one another until dawn.

Many mornings Mansoor

cannot Ret to work across town because the Urine has noi stopped He describes Noticing

through side-streets to reach his bus-stop, and finding himself stuck for hours when transport Is cancelled by a strike or rainfalls of bullets' prevent him from returning home.

Mansoor does not belong to either MQM or Haqiql. but he fears for his life Since his brother Is a thief and possibly even a hitni.m lor one of the parties. Manvor Ilves in constant terror that his brothers enemies will one day get to htm. T buy a newspaper every day just so that I can hide my face behind It whA I walk on a main streets." he says

Terror of the fatal bullet appearing from nowhere Is common among Karachi rest dents. Ahmed, who comes from multi ethnic low income Orangl Town, knows no security at home

A local gangster, who takes advantage of the corruption In Karachi a police force and the easy availability of arms, regu larly raids houses and shops He Is know to have killed people, says Ahmed, but the police do not investigate

In Mohajir areas of the Orangl district, he says, the police do- not even* have a presence That is also the case in Korangi.,where Mohajirs are engaged In infighting The po, lice have lost so many men in the violence that they steer clear of danger zones or shoot to kill at the slightest provocation.

In a recent incident, a teenage girl was shot dead while driving In a car with her family The survivors claim police halted the vehicle from a distance and opened fire before determining who the oc cupants were —

Even Karachi's elite Is not Immune Bomb threats, robberies. murders, and kidnappings have Invaded wealthy residential suburbs. Although the wedding season in the posh suburbs Is celebrated with much drinking and parties with up to 1.000 guests, this year people are cautious

Before, we used to discuss the situation and read In the newspapers about 10 people getting killed and continue as if nothing was happening." says Abintah Zuberi "But now you

don t go out much, and you do feel guilty (about the situation). " When word spreads about a bomb scare or shooting incident, the streets may become deserted in mid-afternoon — only to fill up again when Karachi resilience takes over and shopping centres welcome their determined customers.

One of the most serious consequences of Karachi s continuing lawlessness and political strife Is the long-term effect on business. US businesses were Invited by the government to invest in power and other large projects in the city. Government optimism that foreign investment will boost a weakening economy is contrasted by the apprehensions of local businessmen

Garment factory owner Zaheer Adamjee says his business Is plagued by labour trouble. delays in raw material delivery. and resulting inability to meet buyers' deadlines He says the situation is so volatile that It, is Impossible for business to plan ahead. When labour cannot get to work because of strikes *or because

members of their families have been shot. Adamjee is forced to explain away the delays to his buyers Too frightened to visit Karachi themselves buyers are increasingly turning to other countries for their garment supplies Adamfee says that everyone will have to take a good hard look at this business." Some have already been forced to shut down production altogether

In hard-hit areas, shops and small businesses are Repeatedly forced to remain closed. Employers elsewhere are also fed up with the growing absenteeism of staff who commute from such districts. Newspaper job advertisements often advise people from Korangi not to apply.

The mood among Karachi residents have become strongly anti-government because they feel that both civilians and military are involved in arming ethnic and sectarian groups

Talks Initiated by the government with the MQM and Haqiql to sort out their demands for more jobs, political autonomy and municipal control are viewed as too late to be effective So is the governments decision to shut down the Indian Consulate in Karachi for its alleged involvement in training terrorists.

Says Mansoor: The only solution is to leave the city or the country We can't do anything else to help ourselves." — GEMINI NEWS

AYESHA KHAN is a freelance Pakistani Journalist specialising tn environment and development.