MPA’s murder: City shuts down amid fear and panic
MQM announces three days of mourning.
PHOTO: PPI/ FILE
SUKKUR/HYDERABAD/KARACHI:
Just two days after protesters came out onto the roads following the apex court’s orders for the arrest of Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, parts of Karachi resounded with gunfire once again. This time - armed mobs came out to vent their anger at the assassination of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) MPA Syed Manzar Imam.
The MPA was shot dead on Thursday morning shortly after he had left his home in Orangi Town. As soon as news channels broke the news, relatives made frantic phone calls to reach their loved ones while the sudden rush created traffic gridlocks on Sharae Faisal, Baloch Colony, Liaquatabad. By the evening, the roads were completely deserted.
Charged young men set fire to at least three vehicles, said fire department officials. “Two Mazda trucks were set ablaze in Korangi and a bus was torched on University Road.” Except for Defence Housing Authority and surrounding areas, markets elsewhere were closed.
Nabeel Iqbal, employee of an insurance company, said there was chaos at his office. “Everyone just wanted to reach their homes as soon as possible.” One by one, factories in Korangi industrial estate were deserted. Azeem Yousuf, a resident of Gulistan-i-Jauhar, said even managers didn’t stop workers from abandoning their work. “I feel sorry for people who don’t have their own cars or bikes. All along the way I saw people standing in groups at bus stops.”
Reactions in other cities
Trouble also stirred in other parts of the province. The news caused a rain of bullets in parts of Hyderabad, as a result of which at least one person died. Nazmeen Qureshi, 45, was walking home from Iqra School in Garhi Khata where she worked when the shower of bullets began. One of them hit her head and she was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Another stray bullet pierced a woman’s neck, seriously injuring her. The victim, Falak Mehmood, was struck as she was standing in the balcony of her flat near Liberty Chowk.
A mob armed with batons also came out onto the streets and forced shops to close. The men also set a white Mehran bearing an official number plate ablaze on Tilak incline.
In Sukkur, mobs went around parts of the city, including Dhak Road, Bunder Road, Miani Road and Clock Tower. They fired shots in the air, coercing shopkeepers to bring the shutters down. Benazirabad, Tando Allahyar and Kotri also witnessed deterioration in law and order. In Mirpurkhas, two men were hit by stray bullets on Mir Wah road.
Three days of mourning
MQM has announced a three-day mourning period and has asked party workers to remain peaceful and show their sorrow by wearing black armbands.
Karachi Transport Ittehad has announced that public transport buses will be kept off the roads on Friday. The association’s chairperson, Irshad Bukhari, said, “We can’t operate our vehicles because the situation is unpredictable.” Sindh Bus Owners Assocaition also made a similar announcement.
Atiq Mir, Alliance of Markets Association’s chairperson, said that the body has not announced a strike as yet. “Shopkeepers have been advised to look at the situation while deciding if they want to do business.”
Karachi University, Federal Urdu University of Arts and Sciences and Lyari University have suspended academic activity and cancelled all examinations scheduled for Friday.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 18th, 2013.
Just two days after protesters came out onto the roads following the apex court’s orders for the arrest of Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, parts of Karachi resounded with gunfire once again. This time - armed mobs came out to vent their anger at the assassination of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) MPA Syed Manzar Imam.
The MPA was shot dead on Thursday morning shortly after he had left his home in Orangi Town. As soon as news channels broke the news, relatives made frantic phone calls to reach their loved ones while the sudden rush created traffic gridlocks on Sharae Faisal, Baloch Colony, Liaquatabad. By the evening, the roads were completely deserted.
Charged young men set fire to at least three vehicles, said fire department officials. “Two Mazda trucks were set ablaze in Korangi and a bus was torched on University Road.” Except for Defence Housing Authority and surrounding areas, markets elsewhere were closed.
Nabeel Iqbal, employee of an insurance company, said there was chaos at his office. “Everyone just wanted to reach their homes as soon as possible.” One by one, factories in Korangi industrial estate were deserted. Azeem Yousuf, a resident of Gulistan-i-Jauhar, said even managers didn’t stop workers from abandoning their work. “I feel sorry for people who don’t have their own cars or bikes. All along the way I saw people standing in groups at bus stops.”
Reactions in other cities
Trouble also stirred in other parts of the province. The news caused a rain of bullets in parts of Hyderabad, as a result of which at least one person died. Nazmeen Qureshi, 45, was walking home from Iqra School in Garhi Khata where she worked when the shower of bullets began. One of them hit her head and she was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Another stray bullet pierced a woman’s neck, seriously injuring her. The victim, Falak Mehmood, was struck as she was standing in the balcony of her flat near Liberty Chowk.
A mob armed with batons also came out onto the streets and forced shops to close. The men also set a white Mehran bearing an official number plate ablaze on Tilak incline.
In Sukkur, mobs went around parts of the city, including Dhak Road, Bunder Road, Miani Road and Clock Tower. They fired shots in the air, coercing shopkeepers to bring the shutters down. Benazirabad, Tando Allahyar and Kotri also witnessed deterioration in law and order. In Mirpurkhas, two men were hit by stray bullets on Mir Wah road.
Three days of mourning
MQM has announced a three-day mourning period and has asked party workers to remain peaceful and show their sorrow by wearing black armbands.
Karachi Transport Ittehad has announced that public transport buses will be kept off the roads on Friday. The association’s chairperson, Irshad Bukhari, said, “We can’t operate our vehicles because the situation is unpredictable.” Sindh Bus Owners Assocaition also made a similar announcement.
Atiq Mir, Alliance of Markets Association’s chairperson, said that the body has not announced a strike as yet. “Shopkeepers have been advised to look at the situation while deciding if they want to do business.”
Karachi University, Federal Urdu University of Arts and Sciences and Lyari University have suspended academic activity and cancelled all examinations scheduled for Friday.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 18th, 2013.