Death toll reaches 22 in Karachi violence

[News_Editor]

Death toll reaches 22 in Karachi violence

2011-07-23 22:14:47 GMT+7 (ICT)

KARACHI (BNO NEWS) -- The death toll from Karachi violence has reached 22 as tension prevails in various parts of Pakistan's port city, officials said.

The violence erupted on Friday after two groups opened fire against each other, claiming 15 lives. According to Ary News Television, seven more were killed in the metropolis since last night.

Unknown gunmen shot dead a 25-year-old in Baldia Town in the western part of the city, while an unidentified man was killed after armed men opened fire at a mini bus in Essa Nagri. In Gulshan-e-Maimar, North Nazimabad and Lines Area three persons were killed in shooting incidents.

Meanwhile, shops and other businesses in Karachi localities were closed as panic and tension spread throughout the city. Rangers and police were seen in the violence-hit areas.

The violence led President Asif Ali Zardari to form a four-member committee to discuss the law and order situation in Karachi. The committee will be comprised of Federal Minister of Religious Affairs Khurshid Shah, Chairman National Assembly's standing committee for Interior Qadir Patel, Sindh's law minister Ayaz Soomro and local bodies minister Agha Siraj Durrani.

Last week, at least 14 people were killed in Karachi as violence erupted throughout the city following the statements on the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) made by Zulfiqar Mirza of the ruling Pakistan People's Party (PPP). Mirza said MQM leader Altaf Hussain was "100 times a bigger criminal" than MQM-Haqiqi leader Afaq Ahmed.

Earlier in the month, around 100 people were killed after several days of widespread violence in Karachi. The violence and killings have been largely blamed on rival political parties MQM and Awami National Party (ANP), which represent different ethnic groups, prompting government officials to issue a 'shoot-at-sight' order to security forces.

On June 27, MQM parted ways with PPP after more than three years due to a dispute over the past Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections in Karachi. MQM's split triggered fears of violence, and last week, an opposition coalition against the ruling PPP was formed by rival parties MQM and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

MQM said that the PPP government's "dictatorial and undemocratic" approach prompted its separation from the coalition, and the two former rival parties - PML-N and MQM - set aside their differences and decided to work together "in the best interest of the country," as said by MQM's Haider Abbas Rizvi.

MQM and PPP, led by President Asif Ali Zardari, had previously formed a coalition government in 2008. Earlier in the year, MQM, which has 25 seats in the 342-member Parliament, left the coalition, only to rejoin a few weeks later.

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