KARACHI, May 2: Karachi was paralysed on Monday after scores of arson attacks and incidents of firing left at least four people dead and more than 25 vehicles burnt out following the killing of a senior activist of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement in yet another targeted attacks.According to police, violence which erupted in the second half of the day affected almost every district of the city, although western and eastern parts of the metropolis were worst affected.

“We have reports that so far some 25 vehicles have been set on fire in different areas,” City police chief Saud Mirza said, adding that the law-enforcement personnel had arrested about 103 suspects ‘red-handed’ while they were engaged in violence in different areas.

The MQM activist, Farooq Baig, who was a member of the MQM’s core Karachi Tanzimi Committee, was gunned down in Landhi area while he was driving from home to the party’s headquarters ‘Nine Zero’.

The incidents sparked panic in the city and incidents of violence left a large number of people trapped in traffic jams on major roads.

There was confusion over whether educational institutions in the city would open on Tuesday and while one association representing private schools announced that the schools would remain closed the provincial education ministry said that all educational institutions would open as usual.—Staff Reporter