ID :
193828
Sat, 07/09/2011 - 10:22
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https://www.oananews.org//node/193828
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Life in Pakistan's Karachi paralyzed
Islamabad, July 9, IRNA – Life in Pakistan’s violence-hit southern port city of Karachi Friday paralyzed, as the main ethnic group declared mourning on the recent wave of violence.
According to police, the deadly violence claimed the lives of nearly 60 people in three days, witnesses said.
Public transport disrupted across the city and people faced problems to reach offices, residents said.
President of the transport union, Irshad Bukhari, said that transporters had decided not to ply as the Mutahida Qaumi Movement or MQM had declared mourning.
“Several vehicles had been burnt, buses hijacked and divers killed,” Bukhari said, adding “we can not run buses in this situation.”
Almost all main markets and patrol stations also closed and educational institutions postponed examinations.
Firing was also reported in some parts on Friday and protestors burnt tyres to block roads, residents said. TV channels reported attacks and burning of small shops in Orangi town.
Unidentified men fired rockets and threw hand grenades into residential areas late Thursday night in Baldia town area, damaging several buildings and injuring at least four people including a woman and a child.
Rockets and hand grenade attacks terrified the people who blamed the police and paramilitary force for failure to check miscreants.
TV footage showed gunmen freely roaming in parts of the disturbed areas.
The MQM says its provincial assembly members will stage a rally later on Friday and will march on the Chief Minister office to protest breakdown of law and order in the city.
MQM leader Raza Haroon said that the police and paramilitary forces are not being deployed in the violence-affected areas but they are patrolling in peaceful areas.
President Asif Ali Zardari, who arrived from a 10-day private visit from London on Thursday, convened a high-level meeting on Friday to take stock of the fast deteriorating law and order situation, presidential spokesman said.
Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani will also attend the meeting on the Karachi situation, which is expected to take important steps to restore peace in Karachi, sources said.
Shoot-at-sight: The authorities have ordered shoot-at-sight order in Karachi as violence has paralyzed life un the city, police said.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik, who rushed to Karachi on Thursday, said that 1000 additional militia force will be deployed to restore normalcy in the city.
He also said that ‘targeted actions’ will be taken against the miscreants without any political discrimination.
“We have received satellite images about those who have made bunkers and actions are being planned against them,” Malik told reporters in Karachi where he attended a meeting of senior police and paramilitary military commanders.
The main opposition Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) and MQM have requestioned the National Assembly session to exclusively discuss the situation in Karachi, the PML spokesman Ahsan Iqbal said on Friday.
He said the house should discuss failure of the security forces to main peace in the city./end
According to police, the deadly violence claimed the lives of nearly 60 people in three days, witnesses said.
Public transport disrupted across the city and people faced problems to reach offices, residents said.
President of the transport union, Irshad Bukhari, said that transporters had decided not to ply as the Mutahida Qaumi Movement or MQM had declared mourning.
“Several vehicles had been burnt, buses hijacked and divers killed,” Bukhari said, adding “we can not run buses in this situation.”
Almost all main markets and patrol stations also closed and educational institutions postponed examinations.
Firing was also reported in some parts on Friday and protestors burnt tyres to block roads, residents said. TV channels reported attacks and burning of small shops in Orangi town.
Unidentified men fired rockets and threw hand grenades into residential areas late Thursday night in Baldia town area, damaging several buildings and injuring at least four people including a woman and a child.
Rockets and hand grenade attacks terrified the people who blamed the police and paramilitary force for failure to check miscreants.
TV footage showed gunmen freely roaming in parts of the disturbed areas.
The MQM says its provincial assembly members will stage a rally later on Friday and will march on the Chief Minister office to protest breakdown of law and order in the city.
MQM leader Raza Haroon said that the police and paramilitary forces are not being deployed in the violence-affected areas but they are patrolling in peaceful areas.
President Asif Ali Zardari, who arrived from a 10-day private visit from London on Thursday, convened a high-level meeting on Friday to take stock of the fast deteriorating law and order situation, presidential spokesman said.
Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani will also attend the meeting on the Karachi situation, which is expected to take important steps to restore peace in Karachi, sources said.
Shoot-at-sight: The authorities have ordered shoot-at-sight order in Karachi as violence has paralyzed life un the city, police said.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik, who rushed to Karachi on Thursday, said that 1000 additional militia force will be deployed to restore normalcy in the city.
He also said that ‘targeted actions’ will be taken against the miscreants without any political discrimination.
“We have received satellite images about those who have made bunkers and actions are being planned against them,” Malik told reporters in Karachi where he attended a meeting of senior police and paramilitary military commanders.
The main opposition Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) and MQM have requestioned the National Assembly session to exclusively discuss the situation in Karachi, the PML spokesman Ahsan Iqbal said on Friday.
He said the house should discuss failure of the security forces to main peace in the city./end
