January 01, 2008	Tuesday	Zilhaj 21, 1428

KARACHI, Dec 31: Almost all the offices of the city government, including that of the KWSB, KBCA and town administrations, wore a deserted look shortly after the rumour of attack on the MQM headquarter in Karachi spread on Monday afternoon. The rumour suggesting bid on the life of MQM leader Dr Farooq Sattar spread across the city like a wildfire.

As soon as the rumour reached the Civic Centre, which houses various departments of the CDGK, the panicked officials and other staff left their offices and by 1pm, almost all of them were without any staff.

Similar was the case of the KWSB head office at Karsaz, certain other offices behind the Civic Centre and the TMA offices.

Working at all the offices, which had re-opened after three days of violence, was badly affected and the general public visiting these offices in connection with their work suffered the most.

Meanwhile, hundreds of people who had been working in private offices and business concerns had to rush to their homes following reports of sporadic violence triggered by the rumour. They faced immense difficulties in reaching their homes as there was a negligible number of public transport vehicles plying on city roads amid fear and panic.

People in a large number were seen walking along M. A. Jinnah Road, I. I. Chundrigar Road and Sharea Faisal to get to their homes.—Staff Reporter