KARACHI, July 5: At least six more vehicles were set on fire on Saturday in reaction to the Quetta tragedy. Shops and markets remained closed in some areas of the city to mourn the killings of innocent worshippers in the capital of Balochistan province.

Although the police were put on a high alert in Sindh, especially Karachi, following the bloodbath in an Imambargah in Quetta on Friday, some miscreants succeeded in setting six vehicles on fire in Ancholi Society, Liaquatabad and Rizvia Society. Two othervehicles were set ablaze on Friday night.

Fire brigade sources said that some youths intercepted a minibus of route G-19 (JE-5527) in Jahangirabad in Rizvia police limits and put it to the torch. Fire tenders reached the spot and saved it from a complete destruction.

Witnesses and the fire brigade sources said that a group of people took to the street at around 5pm and pelted vehicles with stones. Protesting against the Quetta carnage, the agitators accused the government of failing to provide security to the common man and maintain law and order. They demanded arrest of culprits and an exemplary punishment to them. Furious youths intercepted a minibus and torched it. Law enforcement agencies reached there and baton-charged the mob. The area was in the grip of tension.

Earlier in the morning, some miscreants torched four parked buses of route Nos. 7-H, 6, 6-B and 1-F, near Super Market, Liaquatabad. Fire tenders rushed to the spot and put out the fire. Three of the vehicles were saved from complete destruction while the fourth one gutted, fire brigade officials said.

A truck was also set ablaze on Shahrah-i-Pakistan near Sohrab Goth in the small hours of Saturday. Fire tenders from Sohrab Goth station extinguished the fire. The truck was partially burnt, the sources claimed.

According to reports, shops and markets in Ancholi, Samanabad, Jaffar-i-Tayyar Society (Malir), Rizvia, Abbas Town (Gulzar-i-Hijri) and several other areas remained closed on Saturday to mourn the deaths in Quetta carnage.

Meanwhile, the IG of Sindh, Syed Kamal Shah, has directed the town police officers, DSPs and SHOs to ensure ‘fool-proof security’ and remain in touch with the administration of religious seminaries, mosques, Imambargahs, etc., in their respective areas. He also asked them to seek their cooperation in implementing the security measures. Push-carts must be kept away from all such sensitive places, he stressed.

According to a spokesman for the police, he impressed upon his subordinates to improve the police information network and keep a vigil on miscreants. He called for preparing a list of convicts —released from jail or set at liberty on bail — so that their activities could be monitored closely. The IG also directed the officials to beef up security at and around public places — cinemas, recreational spots, markets, playgrounds, etc., — where personnel in civvies should also be deployed.

Mr Shah has also ordered that snap checking and patrolling in mobile vans be made effective and a strict surveillance be made on all entry and exit routes of Karachi. A check be put on parked vehicles, especially those in a ‘no-parking zone’.

He said bomb disposal squad had been directed to check all suspicious parcels, shopping bags and other articles on receiving information in order to avoid any untoward incident. The Special Branch has also been directed to depute officials in civvies at all consulates, official and private residences of diplomats, hotels and other important places.

The IG has further directed the officials that graffiti be removed and anyone indulging in wall-chalking be dealt with according to law.