At least 52 dead in past 5 days of target killings in Karachi, Pakistan

At least 52 dead in past 5 days of target killings in Karachi, Pakistan

2011-07-27 03:07:19 GMT+7 (ICT)

KARACHI, PAKISTAN (BNO NEWS) -- At least 52 deaths have been reported in the latest target killings in Pakistan's port city of Karachi during the past five days, officials said Tuesday.

Clashes began between two armed groups in the volatile area of Ghulfamabad, Orangi Town, as the armed men exchanged fire, forcing locals to seek refuge and shut down businesses, the Express Tribune reported.

Violence spread to several parts of Karachi including Gulistan-e-Jauhar where three people were fatally shot, as another body was found in a sack in Orangi Town's Mominabad Faqir Colony in Karachi's latest incidents.

Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah said administrative and political action had to ensure peace in the region. He also called for removing reservations of all political parties to improve law and order in the city, where parties should prioritize establishing peace and stability. Shah also confirmed that several people involved in the target killings had been arrested.

Almost two weeks ago, 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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