File photo of Zahra Hussain. PHOTO: REUTERS
Some 1,000 mourners including Hussain's family members, friends, well wishers and party workers attended her funeral prayers in Defence area Sunday evening.
At least 200 party activists also held a protest rally in central city of Multan and condemned Hussain's killing.
The PTI will take out protests over Shahid's killing in Karachi on Monday.
"Zohra Hussain's sacrifice will not go waste," PTI Chairman, Imran Khan said.
Background
The killing of Zahra Hussain, 59, vice president of the women's wing of Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in Sindh province, came on the eve of a partial re-run in the southern city of the May 11 election.
Hussain was targeted by three gunmen on a motorcycle outside her home in an upmarket part of Karachi late Saturday, the latest killing following an bloody election campaign marked by more than 150 violent deaths.
Former cricket star Khan was quick to pin the blame on the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) party, which represents the Urdu-speaking majority, and specifically its boss Altaf Hussain, who lives in exile in London.
"I hold Altaf Hussain directly responsible for the murder as he had openly threatened PTI workers and leaders through public broadcasts," Khan said on his Twitter feed, describing the killing as "a targeted act of terror".
"I also hold the British Govt responsible as I had warned them about Br citizen Altaf Hussain after his open threats to kill PTI workers," he said, adding that he was "shocked and deeply saddened by the brutal killing".
Altaf Hussain condemned the attack in a statement and demanded a "judicial inquiry to get to the culprits".
Firdous Shamim, a local PTI leader, told AFP that Zohra Hussain "was leaving her home for some work when three gunmen attacked her. She thought they wanted to snatch her purse and handed it over to them but they killed her".
Police said all three gunmen escaped after the attack.
"They shot her with one bullet near her chin and she could not survive," senior police official Nasir Aftab told AFP.
The motive behind the shooting was unclear and there was no immediate claim of responsibility.
Tensions have been running high between the PTI and the MQM, Karachi's dominant party, after Khan's party accused it of widespread vote-rigging. The MQM has denied the charge and announced a boycott of the re-run. Security was tight for Sunday's re-polling in one constituency following allegations of ballot-stuffing, with troops, police and paramilitary rangers backed up by armoured personnel carriers.
The PTI and the right-wing Jamaat-e-Islami party have staged nationwide protests against the alleged irregularities.
The election commission ordered the partial re-run due to allegations of ballot-stuffing in a constituency known as NA-250 -- a largely affluent neighbourhood of the country's financial capital.
Karachi last year suffered record violence linked to ethnic and political tensions.
COMMENTS (37)
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The usual ploy of MQM is to bring in the "mohajir" element in everything. They kill and terrorize and the whole city is witness to it. People are held hostage and no one dares to speak out. With the law enforcers being part of the mafia making the MQM even more dangerous. The media is also afraid of them, with all the threats that Altaf Hussein has made - he should have been taken to cleaners by the "azad" media, but instead the media's reaction was very defensive.
WAKE UP KARACHI
@noman1234: A very one-sided and myopic view of the situation on hand. If the people of Karachi were under the yoke of a dastardly party as you claim the MQM to be, then why is it that aside from Clifton, Defence, Liyari and Saurab Goth etc. no other party aside from the MQM has a mandate?
There is people power behind the MQM that you cannot deny and if you deny and claim it to be on the basis of gun power then you are sorely mistaken. People of Karachi vote for the MQM because they can relate to the party. The re-polling at NA-250 has clearly shown that when MQM is not in the running, you get extremely dismal participation, bordering 20%. The MQM is by far the most popular party in Karachi!
Now I am in agreement that politics of violence should be shunned by all, including the MQM, however MQM is not the only one relying on strong armed tactics in running the city. Others in their respective areas are doing exactly the same. There was rigging in countless parts of Pakistan, but only the MQM is being questioned, when their own voters could not participate due to the inept performance of the ECP.
@Muhibullah: Its difficult to connect the dots only because its too convenient and usually this is not how political parties do things. MQM is already under the media glare, why would they kill a lady leader of the PTI to send a message? What kind of a message is it? In a city where all sorts of competing interests and parties are at work, is it not possible that a third party wanting to sow discord between the MQM and PTI could be behind the killing?
Now MQM uses the slogan Pakistan Khappay. Woof Woof!!!
MQM should give up the politics of death and fear. In case they don't, army should take action against the criminals in MQM and British Government should be forced to take action against Altaf for inciting and causing violence in Pakistan. No one should be allowed to use the British soil for inciting violence. it is a shame to see the Britsh protecting Altaf Hussain. Here goes the double standards of the UK government
Is democracy the right way forwad for Pakistan? Is there any other better system to governence?
I am ashamed of people who think that a part of country is their Kingdom and any one who thinks other wise should be crushed by power like PMLN in Punjab, PPP in Sindh ,MQM in Karachi and JUI (F) in KP . I hate ANP but I should really appreciate ANP who dont have a mind set like that and let people vote for who ever they like with out any fear of being targeted and i will like PTI to follow ANP in this matter.
RIP , Zahra Shahid Hussain... PTI Zindabad
Rest In Peace, Zohra Hussain. Needless to say, the killers should be brought to justice, no matter what party, caste or creed they belong to. At the same time, however, PTI should desist frim using her death for political purpose in sny msnner, whatsoever. That would be the dirtiest politics of all.
WTH. How can you write "Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) party, which represents the Urdu-speaking majority,". I am a mohajir, and I dont want this mafia to represent me. The reporter needs to be more sensitive and objective. You can write "Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) party, which claims to represents the Urdu-speaking majority,".
Only if MQM could serve without violence, there would be no support for other parties. Shame on MQM for bringing violence upon the poor karachites and shame upon itself just for lust of power.
@mkz: This is what it is now turning into.....Urdu speaking bashing. Just listen to some of the venom on TV. Unbelievable
Former cricket star Khan was quick to pin the blame on the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) party, which represents the Urdu-speaking majority, and specifically its boss Altaf Hussain, who lives in exile in London.
Excuse me I'm a part of the urdu speaking majority, MQM in no way represents me. Who's writing these articles? They need to learn how to write properly.
For those fighting against FEAR and hostage takers of Karachi.
HATE SPEECH IS, outside the law, COMMUNICATIONS that vilifies a person or a group based on discrimination against that person or group. In law, hate speech is any speech, gesture or conduct, writing, or display which is forbidden because it may incite violence or prejudicial action The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) states that "any advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence shall be prohibited by law". Article 20
In the United Kingdom, several statutes criminalize hate speech against several categories of persons. The statutes forbid communication which is hateful, threatening, abusive, or insulting.....
@Umer: Your thick skull cannot comprehend the complexity and differences between the 2 issues. Taliban is separate problem all together and killing of Zahra Shahid is a totally different issue. Lets not Compare PTI and Imran's stance on these 2 issues because they are worlds apart. Karachi is heart of Pakistan, highest literacy rate, and a business hub. It has so much potential which has been hi-jacked by "Namalom Afraad aka MQM" for so many years way before Taliban came into picture. After a very long time people have come out on streets and are fighting for their rights and freedom and MQM is trying to shut them up with their typical methods of insighting fear. Karachi is not MQMs property. They have vote bank i agree but that doesnt mean they are sole owner of whole Karachi. Their mandate is the not the only mandate. Other parties have a vote bank too now and everyone decided to vote for someone new because they got tired of this Politics of Isolation. MQM was in denial, couldnt face the harsh truth, rigged the elections in whole Karachi like a evil, corrupt organization they are. Pathetic!
Very sad incident, A women targeted...
PTI wallas have only one enemy, it is the MQM and all their anger is reserved for them. They have no enimity with TTP who keep on slaughtering Paki soldiers and Paki politicians opposed to PTI. This is the start of justice in Pakistan
@a&a: Dude read the facts. He went to England. Gave all the evidence he had to Scotland Yard and did everything he can to get Altaf Hussein. Scotland Yard replied back to his complain with a letter which stated "We need support and approval of PPP and PMLN to launch investigation". You know better than me that is a dead end.
When was the last time Imran Khan appealed to people to protest against those barbarians who have killed 40k innocents in last 12 years? Who've made tens of thousands permanently crippled, and who have made thousands of children orphans, and thousands of women widows? He never appealed for a protest against TTP, or SSP, or LeJ did he? But he is does so swiftly against MQM. Some of his supporters justify his silence saying he doesn't want to risk his workers lives', then isn't he risking his workers' lives in Krachi now? Why didn't he even utter a word of condemnation when his political rivals where being massacred along with their little children? We don't need a Naya Pakistan whose vision is rooted in such cowardly hypocrisy.
Karachi has to be liberated from the terrorists.
SHAME ON MQM, They do'nt want any good governance in Karachi Sate should Bann MQM ASAP
It is a very shameful act who ever has done Pray Almighty her soul rest in peace Amen.
And this exactly why I voted for MQM. In Pakistan, you needs guns to protect your rights. PTI simply cannot do that because it does not believe in gun politics.
Shameful act, considering that women of her age should be regarded as a mother. Sharam hayat exists no more in our "Paak" land.
One PTI person dies and so much hula-hoop; thousands of Pakistanis get killed by Taliban and PTI sympathises with Taliban killers.
@Sonia Wahab:
Due to the elections, I have had no choice but to follow the local newspapers. The quality of writing is despicable. Articles are premised around speculation. The content is devoid of facts, and wreaks of biased views. Terrible journalism.
If Imran has evidence then he should talk. Or lese just wait for police investigation. Imran is talking as if he has seen who killed her.
What evidence Imran has to pin MQM for this act. He should go to court to prove it and he cannot make himself judge and pass the judgement. IS HE ABOVE THE LAW? how you can accused anybody with a concrete evidence. He is politicising the murder so cheap!
@ayesha: They are very well maloom at 90
Thanks to the British Government for harbouring the killer.
The leader of a band of thugs makes violent threats against a political party, a leader of that party is then killed. I do not think it is particularly hard to connect the dots in this case.
When everyone knows who are these " namaloom afraad " then why are they still NA MALOOM ?
It is a very tragic incident in which Zahra Shahid Hussain lost her life.
The Police and other investigative agencies should arrest the killers and make the confession of the killers public as what was the motive to kill Zahra Shahid Hussain.
This can deesclate the tension between PTI and MQM, if the motive of the killers were to snatch her purse and run away from the scene.
In any way, a precious human life is lost on which the entire Karachi is deeply saddened.
May Al-Mighty Allah rest her soul in peace and give strength to the breaved fsmily members to bear the irrepairable loss of precious human life. AMEEN.
"Former cricket star Khan was quick to pin the blame on the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) party, which represents the Urdu-speaking majority"
Irresponsible reporting from AFP. 'Urdu-speakers' arent to blame for this. A party might be, but not the people.