August 28, 2008	Thursday	Sha'aban 25, 1429

KARACHI, Aug 27: Tension gripped different localities of the city on Wednesday as thousands of people participated in the funeral processions of the three victims of Tuesday’s violence at two different places in Karachi University.

Almost the entire vicinity of Malir and its neighbourhood echoed with the crackle of gunfire, forcing the residents to remain indoors and shopkeepers to pull down their shutters.

Two workers of the Islami Jamiat Talaba (IJT) and a worker of the All Pakistan Muttahida Students Organisation (APMSO) were killed and seven others wounded on the campus during the students’ clashes.

The Namaz-i-janaza of the APMSO activist, Syed Atif Raza, resident of Kauser Town, Malir, was held at the Jinnah Ground in Azizabad and it was attended by a large number of people, including leaders and workers of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and the APMSO.

The APMSO worker, a student of honours first year in the computer science department of the university, was buried in the Mewashah graveyard.

Traffic remained suspended for hours on the arterial M. A. Jinnah Road as the Namaz-i-janaza of IJT workers – Abdul Jabbar and Osama bin Adam – was led by the Jamaat-i-Islami chief, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, at Numaish chowrangi near Mazar-i-Quaid.

IJT sources said Abdul Jabbar, a third-year student in the political science department and resident of Manghopir, was buried at a graveyard near his residence.

They said the body of Osama, a third-year student of the computer science department, was sent to his hometown in Thatta for burial.

The JI announced that it would hold a protest march from the Karachi Press Club to the Sindh Chief Minister’s House on Friday against what it described as the targeted killing of the two IJT workers.

Meanwhile, the Mubina town police registered a case (FIR 249/08) against unknown attackers for killing the APMSO worker on the complaint of his fellow worker, Asad Ali.

The police registered another case (FIR 250/08) against unknown attackers for killing the two IJT workers on the complaint of their fellow worker, Ma’az, who was also injured in the firing.

The Mubina Town police said no arrest had so far been made in either of the FIRs.

Meanwhile, a total shutdown was seen in parts of Malir Colony, including Khokrapar, Saudabad and Kauser Town, as unknown armed men resorted to heavy firing into the air.

A large number of people were seen walking through the streets in Malir Colony as public transport disappeared from the streets.

However, residents said the situation eased a bit in the evening with some shopkeepers pulling up their shutters and some taxis and rickshaws appearing on the streets.

Meanwhile, the administration of the Karachi University cancelled all vehicle entry passes issued to the students of the university (morning and evening) with immediate effect. A press release said no vehicle of any student shall be allowed to enter the campus till further orders.