Riots kill 47 in Karachi
Revenge attacks hit city
The killing of an MQM lawmaker sparked bloody rioting in Pakistan’s port city of Karachi as protesters went on a rampage torching vehicles, shops and houses leading to the death of at least 47 people.
Over 123 people were injured in the violence which began on Monday night after motorcycle-borne unidentified gunmen shot dead Syed Raza Haider, a senior leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and a member of the Sindh assembly, his bodyguard and an MQM worker, officials said. Haider had gone to a mosque to attend a funeral when he was attacked.
The killing infuriated Mohjahirs, who form the majority in this city, as they forced down shutters and attacked establishments belonging to the Pushtans. There were reports of gunfire erupting in parts of the city.
The violence continued in the city on Tuesday morning too as protesters set on fire dozens of vehicles, petrol pumps, shops and houses as police and paramilitary forces struggled to gain control of the city.
Incidents of violence, including firing by armed groups and arson, claimed 47 lives and left over 123 injured, TV channels quoted police and hospital sources as saying.
Funeral
Meanwhile, Haider was buried as thousands attended the funeral prayers of the slain MQM leader.
The violence affected several areas, including Baldia Town, Orangi Town, Gulistan-e-Johar, Landhi and Korangi.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik said Haider had received threats from the Sipah-e-Sahaba, a banned anti-Shia group.
He said the killing would be probed jointly by police and intelligence agencies.
Police officials on Tuesday said they had detained about 20 members of banned groups. “There have been regular firing incidents in different areas as supporters and activists of the MQM have reacted strongly to the assassination of their leader,” one police officer said.
Though large contingents of police and paramilitary Pakistan Rangers were deployed across Karachi, the city wore a deserted look. People preferred to remain indoors and traffic on the roads was thin. Most shops and commercial areas remained shut.
No group has claimed responsibility for Haider’s killing. However, Malik said the Sipah-e-Sahaba and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan were behind the violence in Karachi that is aimed at destabilising the country.
The MQM leadership has blamed the Awami National Party which represents the Pakhtoons for Haider’s killing.
Appeal for calm
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and other leaders appealed for calm in the wake of the killings, but violence soon flared up in Karachi, a city riven by sectarian and ethnic tensions.
The MQM, which is a partner in the ruling coalitions in Sindh and at the centre, called for three days of mourning in Karachi.
Karachi, the commercial hub and the largest city in Pakistan, has been the scene of political and ethnic strife for months now.
MQM leader Faisal Sabzwari hinted that the Awami National Party, which draws support from Pashtu-speaking people, could have had a hand in Haider’s killing. Sabzwari alleged that the ANP had a nexus with extremist elements.
