Violence spreads in 2 more towns

10 Jan, 2005

Violence spread to two remote northern towns on Sunday, a day after 14 people were killed in violence that erupted following an attack on a Shia leader, officials said. Hundreds of angry youth burnt tyres and blocked roads in the northern mountain town of Skardu, though there were no reports of any casualties, while the government also beefed up security in another town, Karimabad, where enraged crowds attacked local government offices late Saturday night.
The violence was sparked following an attack on religious leader Ziauddin Rizvi in Gilgit.
Dr Muhammad Yaqub at the government hospital in Gilgit said the death toll had risen to 14 from 11 in the violence on Saturday, after which a curfew was imposed in the town and the army was called in to control the mob.
The curfew was still in place on Sunday and residents said soldiers were patrolling the streets on vehicles with machineguns mounted on the top.

Read Comments