KARACHI, Aug 13: Fear ruled most parts of the city as violence, which erupted in different localities late on Friday ahead of a strike called by the Sindhi nationalist parties against the restoration of the 2001 local government system, continued into Saturday, when an armed clash with use of hand-grenades, and arson and gun attacks claimed seven lives and nearly half a dozen vehicles were set ablaze, officials said.

The deadliest incident was witnessed in Nazimabad where hand-grenade and armed attacks left three people dead and five wounded. The police said it was too early to link the assault with the violence that broke out late on Friday ahead of the strike called by the Sindhi nationalist parties.

“The situation started worsening after 3am,” said Sub-Inspector Shafi Muhammad of the Nazimabad police station.

“First firing incidents were reported near Nadria Hotel though the guns fell silent when the police and Rangers personnel took over the area. Hardly half an hour later, armed riders lobbed three hand-grenades from moving motorbikes on people along a CNG station on Hakeem Ibne Sina Road, sparking intense firing.”

The attacks left three people dead. The victims were later identified as 22-year-old Kamran Khan, 32-year-old Naeem Kashmalo and 60-year-old Noor Zaman. The police said Kamran and Naeem, who hailed from Swat and Peshawar, respectively, worked at the CNG station while Noor, from Buner, slept there at night.

A spokesman for the Awami National Party, however, claimed the victims were ANP workers, and condemned the “targeted attacks”.A few minutes before sunrise the police in Pak Colony found the bodies of two young men in a brand new car, which was not even registered yet. An official at the Pak Colony police station said the victims were later identified as paternal cousins -- Obaid and Saleh Muhammad.

“Obaid was an assistant sub-inspector in Balochistan and had been in the city for the last couple of days on vacation to stay at his cousin’s home in Patel Para,” said the official. “They left the home in the night to have a ride in Saleh’s new car but went missing. Finally their bodies were found in Pak Colony.”

In Landhi, a 37-year-old man was gunned down. He was later identified as Saeed Khan.

A Landhi police station official said the victim, who originally belonged to the tribal areas, was a textile mill worker and was attacked when he was going to work early in the morning.

The police in neighboring Bin Qasim Town also found the strangled body of a young man, who remained unidentified. The police said the body was found in Shumani Goth near Steel Town. The victim was wearing Shalwar-Kameez and also had visible torture marks on the body.

Amid armed attacks and killings, arson attacks also continued as a total of five vehicles were set on fire mainly in the first half of the day. At least six vehicles had met with the same fate late on Friday in different parts of the city.

On the main National Highway near Steel Town an oil tanker was set on fire.

The police said the heavy vehicle was intercepted near a link road. Similarly, on the Superhighway near New Sabzi Mandi a bus was intercepted and set on fire. A van in Shah Faisal Colony, a bus in Nazimabad and a motorbike in North Nazimabad were also set on fire.