Karachi continues to simmer; Opposition calls for countrywide strike

KARACHI: Three more people were killed in fresh bloodletting in the tense Pakistani city where shoot at sight orders were issued against rioters after Saturday's fierce clashes that left 39 people dead as a united Opposition called a countrywide strike on Monday.

Accusing the Government of preventing suspended Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikar M Chaudhry from addressing a lawyers' convention on Saturday, his attorneys also called for a nationwide boycott of courts on Monday.

Announcing a country wide strike, Opposition parties, including the Pakistan People's Party amd Muttahida-Majlis-e Amal, observed a 'Black Day' alleging that the riots, coinciding with the rallies called by supporters of President Pervez Musharraf and Chaudhry, were carried out at the behest of Musharraf regime which wanted an excuse to impose a state of emergency and put off polls.

Claimimg that the violence showed that the government was involved in "state terrorism", PPP chief and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto called on the Supreme Court and the Sindh High Court to take suo-moto notice of the violence and "the absence of police to control it".

However, pro-government Muthahida Quaumi Movement trained its guns on Chaudhry, blaming him for the bloodbath and observed it as a day of mourning.

Amid criticism of government's failure to stem violence in Karachi, Musharraf said the clashes were the fallout of "politicising" of the issue of the suspension by Chaudhry.

Addressing a mammoth public rally in front of Parliament in Islamabad on Saturday night, Musharraf said he held the judiciary in high esteem and would accept the verdict of the apex court on the suspension of Chaudhry.

Pakistan's para-military troops patrolling the streets of the port city have been told to shoot rioters and miscreants if caught destroying public property or indulging in violence, Sindh Governor Eshrat-ul-Ebad told reporters here

"The rangers have been told to shoot anyone caught indulging in violence," he said.

The Governor said the rangers had been given additional powers to control the situation in the city shortly after the combined opposition parties including the PPP. Muslim League Nawaz Group and MMA announced a countrywide strike for Monday.

"The rangers have been told not to tolerate any attempts of violence by anyone," the governor, a nominee of the MQM said after Karachi, the country's commercial and business hub witnessed one of the bloodiest days of its history on Saturday.

He said no one would be allowed to spoil the peace of the city and those involved in violence since Saturday would be dealt with severely.

Pakistan's interior secretary, Kamal Shah also confirmed the fresh orders to the rangers who are patrolling the troubled parts of the city since last night. "The rangers presence has been boosted up and they have been given shoot on sight orders on rioters," Shah said.

In Sunday's violence, two people were killed as police opened fire to disperse a stone-pelting group of youths who were protesting against the killings in the Quaid Abad locality of the city. The mob also set afire a vehicle.

A police personnel was shot dead by unidentified assailants from close range, said a police official.

City police chief Azhar Farooqi said the situation was tense in the city which witnessed pitched battles among gun-totting men on Saturday.

"The situation is very tense and we have beefed up the security as best as we can in many parts of the city. But this morning we have had some protests," the police chief said said.

Police officials said that two groups clashed in Water pump area and set ablaze two petrol pumps and furniture shops before the police controlled the situation.

Police sources said a number of people had been detained overnight.

Chaudhry, whose suspension on March 9 by Musharraf sparked nationwide protests, returned to Islamabad late Saturday night without addressing his supporters after he was stranded at Karachi airport and was asked by the local government to avoid the meeting and return home.

Meanwhile, Information Minister Muhammad Ali Durrahi appealed to the judiciary to take suo moto notice of "the continued campaign from the opposition parties to politicise a pure judicial issue".

"Such notice would be a positive step," Durrani told reporters in Islamabad.

"The Opposition parties are advancing their political designs in the name of judiciary".

He said innocent people lost lives in Karachi as the lawyers were trying to achieve political mileage by organising rallies rather than presenting the case in the court.

"However, yesterday's killings took place because of the opposition politicising the reference case and all the responsibility for these killings rests on the shoulders of the opposition," he said.