The violence which broke out after the news of the killing of Ubaidullah Yousufzai yesterday spread in the city and continued today with dozens of vehicles and shops torched by angry mobs.
At least 15 people have been killed and dozens injured in Karachi as violence spread to new areas today in the Pakistan's commercial capital, following the targeted killing of a leader of the Awami National Party.
The violence which broke out immediately after the news of the killing of Ubaidullah Yousufzai yesterday spread in the city and continued today as well with dozens of vehicles and shops torched as well by angry mobs.
Ubaidullah Yousafzai, a cargo operator employed with Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), and his friend Saleem Akhtar were gunned down by unidentified people riding on a motorbike outside the PIA cargo terminal.
Ten people were killed yesterday while fresh violence claimed five more lives today taking the toll to 15 in two days of unrest in the city.
The reaction was instant with miscreants indulging in shooting, looting shops and burning vehicles and shops in different parts of the city as the police and para-military rangers moved into control the situation.
The ANP has announced three days of mourning after the incident and many markets remained closed on Friday with traffic remaining thin on the roads as people remained in fear and panic of more violence.
At least 90 people were killed when similar violence broke out after the assassination of a leader of the Mutthaida Qaumi Movement on August 2 in the city.
Mobs forcibly closed markets and pelted stones at passing vehicles and set on fire a office of the MQM in Korangi area.
The MQM and ANP who are coalition partners with the government in Sindh blame each other for the violence and political analysts see their dispute as a bid to gain political control of the city and show their muscle power.
The ANP won just two seats in the last provincial elections in Sindh and the MQM emerged with around 38 seats mainly from Karachi.
But with the influx and immigration of Pashtuns to Karachi growing in the last few years due to the conflict in the North West Frontier Province and in the tribal belts involving the Taliban, the number of Pashtuns in Karachi has increased to around 3 million according to unofficial figures serving as a signal for the ANP to try to increase their political and street power in the city.
The MQM had accused the ANP of killing their leader, Reza Haider earlier this month.
The ANP leader, Bashir Bilour on Friday demanded that the army be called in to take control of the situation if the provincial government was unable to do so.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}