Shoot at sight orders in Karachi as violence toll mounts
July 8th, 2011 - 12:24 pm ICT by IANSIslamabad, July 8 (IANS) Shoot at sight orders have been issued in the port city of Karachi where spiralling violence over the past three days has left 63 people dead, media reports said Friday.
The third consecutive day of violence in Karachi Thursday saw 34 people being killed in armed attacks on buses and houses.
The toll in three days of violence now stands at 63.
Saud Mirza, a senior police official, said that 18 people were killed in armed attacks in Qasba Colony and parts of Orangi Town.
Twelve people were killed and over 30 injured in attacks on two passenger buses, reported Dawn.
The Sindh government has given shoot at sight orders to security personnel to normalise the city’s deteriorating situation.
It also decided that those who forcefully close down shops and businesses would be arrested, reported Daily Times.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik, who has arrived in Karachi, told reporters: “…Definitely there will be targeted actions in the affected areas and I have ordered deployment of 1,000 FC troops to enforce law in the city.”
He called upon Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain and the Awami National Party to play their role to restore peace in the city.
“Karachi is in a sensitive situation, but we have all the information, we know where the planning was done to start violence, we know who are the elements behind it and we are determined to take action against them,” he was quoted as saying.
Dawn said that the bus attacks Friday targeting mainly Urdu-speaking passengers appeared to be in retaliation of the killing of five Pakhtuns whose bodies were found in a minibus Thursday.
- Eight persons killed in 'ethnic' Karachi violence - Mar 23, 2011
- Shutter-down strike in Sindh against MQM leader's killing - May 01, 2011
- Toll in Karachi violence rises to 76 - Aug 05, 2010
- Police detain 20 suspects as Karachi death toll rises to 27 - Jan 15, 2011
- Strike paralyses life in Karachi - Aug 23, 2011
- Karachi tense as target killings' toll rises to 37 - May 21, 2010
- Seven more gunned down in Karachi, taking death toll to 92 - Aug 06, 2010
- 16 killed, 24 wounded in Karachi target killings ahead of by-polls - Oct 17, 2010
- Gilani vows to quell Karachi violence - Aug 22, 2011
- 27 killed in Karachi violence (Second Lead) - Oct 17, 2010
- ANP lays down 'three conditions' to Taliban for dialogue - Jan 27, 2011
- Journalist among 14 killed in Pakistan violence (Second Lead) - Jan 14, 2011
- 11 killed in Karachi violence, toll reaches 60 (Lead) - Oct 19, 2010
- Deploy army in Karachi, demands MQM chief - Aug 04, 2011
- Karachi on fire as death toll reaches 82 - Aug 05, 2010
Tags: altaf hussain, awami national party, city karachi, dawn, deployment, elements, interior minister, minibus, passenger buses, peace in the city, police official, rehman malik, retaliation, saud, security personnel, sensitive situation, sindh government, violence in karachi