Complete Shutdown In Karachi Against Twin Blasts

Islamabad, March 5, IRNA -- A complete shutdown was observed in Karachi Monday to protest the twin blasts that occurred in city’s Abbas Town, killing at least 47 people and wounding 150 others, local media reported. Traffic was thin as educational institutions, businesses and markets announced closure after the local government declared Monday a day of mourning for those killed in Sunday’s bombing. Around 200 flats were badly affected, while 50 of them were completely destroyed by the fire which followed the blasts. The residents were compelled to move to their relatives’ houses. The strike in Karachi to mourn the deadliest blast was given by Majls-e-Wehdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) and Jafaria Alliance and was supported by several political parties including Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Awami National Party (ANP), Pakistan Muslim League – Functional (PML-F), PML-Quaid, and Sunni Tehreek. Lawyers of Sindh Bar Council and Punjab Bar Council also announced a strike and boycotted activities in several courts. The Lahore High Court will only hear important cases. The Sindh Assembly session scheduled for March 4 (yesterday) was also postponed for two days in the wake of the blast. Three-day mourning was also announced by the Shiˈa parties including Jafaria Alliance, Majlis-e-Wehdat Muslimeen, Shia Ulema Council, Imamia Studnents Organization, and Quetta Yakjheti Council. Meanwhile, The Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) continued with their operation Monday morning to find more evidence from the blast site. Transport, businesses, educational institutes and petrol pump remained closed in Karachi, Hyderabad, Jamshoro, Sukkur and Jacobabad. The Punjab government also called for a one-day mourning. Moreover, leaders of Shia organizations in Karachi and Shiˈa clerics in a mid night press conference at Karachi demanded that the Pakistani army carry out a targeted operation against banned outfits Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) and Sipah-e-Sahaba (SSP) in Karachi. The Shia clerics also demanded that Karachi be deweaponised. They termed that the blast was not a result of sectarian violence./end