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KARACHI, Oct 20: At least 12 people were injured on Saturday as frustrated crowds attempted to disrupt vehicular traffic and forced shopkeepers to pull down their shutters in different parts of the city.
Unruly crowds, armed with clubs and sticks, took to the streets and burned tyres in protest of Thursday night’s double bomb attack on Benazir Bhutto’s homecoming procession.
A large number of private vehicles and a few public buses did appear on the streets in the morning as the city limped backed to normalcy after remaining in a state of shock on Friday when a complete and entirely voluntary shutdown was observed to mourn the carnage near the Karsaz bridge.
All major markets and shopping centres remained closed for the third consecutive day, though some shopkeepers in different localities did pull up their shutters.
Most of the petrol and gas stations also did not resume their operations. Long queues of motorists and motorcyclists were seen at the few outlets which were open amid a tense atmosphere.
The miscreants burned tyres in parts of Lyari, Golimar, Lasbella, Jamshed Quarters, Guru Mandir, Teen Hatti, Pir Colony, Jail Road, Malir City, Memon Goth and Gulistan-i-Jauhar.
Witnesses said the angry mobs also pelted vehicles with stones in the troubled areas.
Lyari tense
An atmosphere of mourning was prevalent in Lyari, trans-Lyari, Malir and other Sindhi and Baloch-dominated areas in the city as most of the victims of Thursday night’s carnage belonged to these areas and the interior of Sindh.
Local people said miscreants resorted to firing in different parts of Lyari, including Aath Chowk, Shah Baig Lane, Tannery Road and Gul Mohammed Lane.
They said at least a dozen people sustained bullet wounds and were shifted to the Civil Hospital for treatment.
Sources at the hospital told Dawn that none of the injured were in critical condition as they received wounds in the lower parts of the body.
Major shopping and commercial centres including Lea Market, Timber Market, Jatpat Market, Khajoor Bazaar and Jodia Bazaar were closed.
There was also a complete shutter-down strike in the old city areas including Kharadar, Mithadar, Pan Market, Chemical Market, Kori Bazaar and in the commercial centres of Ranchore Lane.
A complete shutdown was also observed in other Baloch and Sindhi-dominated areas of the city including Memon Goth, Khokhrapar, Bacchal Goth, Gadap, Darsano Chano of Malir Town, Ibrahim Hyderi, Rehri of Bin Qasim Town, Chanesar Goth, Shanti Nagar, Sacchal Goth, Safoora Goth of Gulshan-i-Iqbal Town and other areas.
While talking to Dawn, Capital City Police Officer Azhar Ali Farooqi confirmed that some incidents of violence took place in the city.
“Overall the situation in the city is peaceful and under control, though some miscreants tried to create a law-and-order situation in some areas,” he said.
SP Lyari said that the situation in the vicinity was under control and the police were patrolling the troubled parts.
Attendance in private and public offices also remained thin as public transport largely remained off the roads.
The City Courts continued to present a deserted look as court staff and paralegals did not reach their offices due to the non-availability of public transport. Similarly, the authorities did not produce the under-trial prisoners in court.
