Thaindian News

Karachi, Mar 23(ANI): At least eight people were killed in separate armed attacks in several parts of Karachi on Tuesday in the fresh wave of killings in the Pakistani metropolis, apparently on ethnic grounds.

City Police chief Saud Mirza said that the fresh spate of killings was “apparently” executed on ethnic grounds, adding that the killing of an activist in Pirabad sparked armed attacks elsewhere, claiming lives of labourers and roadside vendors.

“We have strengthened our position in the affected areas. But unfortunately it has been witnessed that unconfirmed reports on the broadcast media spread more panic and scare than the situation on ground warranted. I would appeal to the media to verify news reports before airing them,” the Dawn quoted Mirza, as saying.

He said the police and the Rangers were holding flag-marches in the affected parts of Orangi Town, and that facts were being gathered for action against the suspects.

Routine life in Orangi Town became paralysed with businesses staying closed and traffic off the roads after two fatal incidents of firing within a half-an-hour time span left five people dead and over a dozen others wounded.

Violence cut off Orangi Town from the rest of the city for a seventh time in recent months.

Local residents said that hundreds of industrial workers were unable to return to their houses in different blocks of Orangi Town because of a breakdown of law and order there.

“Isolated incidents of firing were also reported, in which a young man was killed near Banaras Chowk… A Rangers man also received bullet wounds during the frequent gunfire in the area,” said a Pirabad police official. (ANI)