MWM, JUI factions, ASWJ strike brings Karachi to standstill
Religious parties protest against target killings and Mastung tragedy.
MWM, JUI factions, AWSJ call for strike in Karachi in protest. PHOTO: AFP
KARACHI:
A shutter-down strike on Friday was called by Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) to mourn the Mastung tragedy in Karachi.
A suicide bomber had killed at least 22 pilgrims on a bus that was making its way through the Pakistan-Iran highway in Mastung district on the evening of January 21. Another 31 pilgrims, including women and children, were injured in the attack – which was claimed by the outlawed Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ).
Following the strike call, all associations of private schools in the city announced to keep the educational institutions closed.
Karachi Transport Ittehad (KTI), the apex body of public transport vehicle owners, also decided to keep its vehicles off the roads till 3pm today.
A strike call was also made by both the factions of Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam, led by Maulana Samiul Haq and Maulana Fazlur Rehman, and Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ). Both sets of organisations said they want to protest the ‘systematic killings’ of their supporters.
The protest is against the target killing of Secretary of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Samiul Haq (JUI-S), Sindh chapter, Mufti Usman Yar Khan, and other victims.
On January 17, Mufti Khan, was shot dead along with his private guard and a driver in a targeted attack near Karachi’s Awami Markaz at Sharah-e-Faisal.
Hand grenade attack
A police mobile was targeted in a hand grenade attack in Karachi today. The blast took place in Hassan Square near Essa Nagri and no loss of life was reported.
In another incident, firing at a jeep on Benaras Pul in Karachi killed one person.
On January 9, a suicide bomb blast had killed arguably Pakistan’s best known police-commander, Superintendent of Police (SP) Crime Investigation Department (CID) Chaudhry Aslam, near Essa Nagri at the Lyari Expressway.
According to senior CID officer Iqbal Mehmood the bomber had smashed his vehicle into Aslam’s convoy and he and two other policemen were killed.
A shutter-down strike on Friday was called by Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) to mourn the Mastung tragedy in Karachi.
A suicide bomber had killed at least 22 pilgrims on a bus that was making its way through the Pakistan-Iran highway in Mastung district on the evening of January 21. Another 31 pilgrims, including women and children, were injured in the attack – which was claimed by the outlawed Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ).
Following the strike call, all associations of private schools in the city announced to keep the educational institutions closed.
Karachi Transport Ittehad (KTI), the apex body of public transport vehicle owners, also decided to keep its vehicles off the roads till 3pm today.
A strike call was also made by both the factions of Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam, led by Maulana Samiul Haq and Maulana Fazlur Rehman, and Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ). Both sets of organisations said they want to protest the ‘systematic killings’ of their supporters.
The protest is against the target killing of Secretary of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Samiul Haq (JUI-S), Sindh chapter, Mufti Usman Yar Khan, and other victims.
On January 17, Mufti Khan, was shot dead along with his private guard and a driver in a targeted attack near Karachi’s Awami Markaz at Sharah-e-Faisal.
Hand grenade attack
A police mobile was targeted in a hand grenade attack in Karachi today. The blast took place in Hassan Square near Essa Nagri and no loss of life was reported.
In another incident, firing at a jeep on Benaras Pul in Karachi killed one person.
On January 9, a suicide bomb blast had killed arguably Pakistan’s best known police-commander, Superintendent of Police (SP) Crime Investigation Department (CID) Chaudhry Aslam, near Essa Nagri at the Lyari Expressway.
According to senior CID officer Iqbal Mehmood the bomber had smashed his vehicle into Aslam’s convoy and he and two other policemen were killed.