A complete shutter-down strike was observed here on Saturday on the call of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) to mourn the killings of its activists and sympathisers. The city wore a deserted look. Karachi and several others cities of Sindh including Hyderabad, Nawabshah, Mirpurkhas, Sukkar, etc also observed complete strike where life came to a standstill on the call of MQM.
All activities remained suspended in the country's financial hub since the announcement by MQM in the early hours of Saturday. The traders, transporters and petrol pump owners have also extended their support over the MQM's call to observe mourning day against the present unrest of Karachi. Consequently, all the petrol pumps, shops in inner lanes, cabins, hotels, etc across the metropolis remained closed since dawn to dusk while the public transport was also off the roads that forced the people to stay indoors. School, colleges were closed and the University of Karachi has postponed all its exams that were to be held on Saturday. The attendance in private and public enterprises remained thin.
The police have described two separate killings of ANP men as a result of clash and personal enmity but the said homicide has turned into one for at least nine others since Friday midnight. In reaction of the said killings, violence arson spilled over at various areas of the city including Banaras, Lasbela, Essa Nagri, Pehalwan Goth, Rabia City, Sohrab Goth and other localities where gunmen resorted to aerial firing and huddled masses at homes.
The first incident was reported at Banaras flyover on early Saturday where unidentified armed men sprayed motorcyclists with bullets, leaving four persons including a father Waseem son of Aklaq and his son Hasan killed. The funeral prayers of Waseem and Hasan were offered at Masjid Dar-us-Salaat located in Liaquatabad No 3.
Later, they were laid to rest in Paposh graveyard. Police said the deceased, who were the residents of Liaquatabad No 3, were the supporters of MQM. The incidents of violence were reported since early Saturday as unknown armed assailants opened indiscriminate gunshots on Aamir, 45, son of Ashiq at Muhammad Ali Society; Sultan, 25, at Noman Centre, Saddar and Riyaz, 35, at Surjani Town, police said.
One Latifullah, 45, son of Hafiz Umer was shot dead at Urdu Chowk located in Orangi Town. Police said the victim, who was the resident of Orangi Town No 10, was rickshaw driver by his profession. They said the body was shifted to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (ASH) for autopsy. Meanwhile, ANP Sindh Media wing claimed that the deceased, who was targeted in Orangi Town, was ANP worker. The funeral prayers of Latifullah were offered at Railway city colony and later he was buried at a local graveyard.
Similarly, a car (AUX-923) carried two persons namely Rizwan, 30, and Ali, 20 came under attack at Defence Market. Resultantly, both persons received bullet injuries and were shifted to hospital where Rizwan succumbed to his injuries. A passenger coach driver namely Jahan Khan, 35, was gunned down by unidentified armed riders at UP Mor.
Police said the victim, who was the resident of Sohrab Goth, was targeted when he was plying his passenger coach 'Khan Coach' on Saturday. A doctor namely Jamil, 50, son of Amin, and a passer-by received severe bullet injuries at Mominabad and Disco Mor, Orangi Town No 4, respectively. Police said that three persons including a cop namely Liaquat son of Abdul Aleem sustained bullet wounds at Landhi No 6. They said the injured persons namely Liaquat, Sohni and Atalfah were shifted to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) for treatment. Vice Chairman Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi (MQM-H) Shamshad Khan Ghouri alleged rival party to target MQM-H workers in Landhi No 6 near Afaq's residence. He said all three victims were the workers of MQM-H and demanded the authorities to take notice of such targeted incidents.
A bullet-riddled body of a youth stuffed in a gunny bag was found from Nullah located in Maripur, truck stand. Police said the identity of the victim was yet to be ascertained while police found his gunny bag from Nullah. The body was shifted to JPMC and later moved to Edhi morgue till identification.
In the absence of goods carriers the import cargo could not leave the port area and similarly no export cargo could be reached at ports, as transporters were reluctant to ply their vehicles on the city's roads. The Customs offices remained opened with very thin attendance but there was no clearance of cargo because of non-presence of importers and their clearing agents, sources said.
They further said the PaCCS system collects over Rs 2 billion approximately revenue from imports and exports GDs. But the authorities concerned on Saturday witnessed no revenue collection in the wake of a day of mourning observed by MQM that halted all commercial and social activities in the city whole day.