Karachi violence: At least 39 killed in 2 days

[News_Editor]

Karachi violence: At least 39 killed in 2 days

2011-08-19 00:29:23 GMT+7 (ICT)

KARACHI, PAKISTAN (BNO NEWS) -- Ongoing violence in the Pakistani port city of Karachi in the last few days has left at least 39 people killed, officials said on Thursday.

Gang wars and political disputes have disrupted Karachi's stability as criminal groups have allegedly connected with political parties. Target killings and violence in recent months has killed hundreds in one of Pakistan's most important economic cities, raising further questions about the country's stability.

Local officials said at least 17 people were killed on Wednesday, while ongoing violence killed another 22 on Thursday. However, some reports said that over 40 people have been killed during the last two days.

Police told the Express Tribune that the latest killings are due to clashes between criminal gangs operating in Lyari and the surrounding areas of Karachi. Some groups have openly expressed support to certain political parties, but police said it was not a 'political war'.

Bodies have been found throughout the city in Lyari, Sher Shah, Mari pur, Agra Taj Chowk and Baldia town. A private bank vehicle carrying 12 workers was abducted, but all except one were later released unharmed.

On Wednesday, unidentified gunmen opened fire at a hotel in the Kharadar area of Karachi, killing four people. Among the fatal victims was Waja Ahmad Karim Daad Baloch, a former member of the National Assembly, who was elected for the Lyari area and a senior leader of the ruling political party, the Pakistan People's Party.

Earlier this month, Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik announced increased security measures in Karachi, deploying hundreds of additional paramilitary and police forces in the area.

Last month alone, more than 200 people were killed in Karachi. And according to the independently-run Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, 490 people have been killed in Karachi in the year's first semester, and around 800 during the first seven months, compared to 748 in all of 2010.

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 the 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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