KARACHI, June 1: Life in several parts of Karachi came to a standstill on Tuesday as mourners attending the funeral of most of the victims of the Imambargh Ali Raza mosque bombing and protesters clashed with police on the city's man through fare, the M.A. Jinnah Road.
Police fired teargas shells to disperse the mourners who torched vehicles and public and private property. Meanwhile, the death-toll in the mosque blast and other incidents of Monday evening's violence rose to 24.
Most of the city streets wore a deserted look on Tuesday as people stayed indoors and commercial and trading activities remained largely suspended. Transporters kept their vehicle off the roads fearing a serious breakdown in the law and order situation.
Twenty-one bodies of the worshipper were laid to rest in the city's two graveyards following funeral prayers held on M.A. Jinnah Road. Hundreds of people attended the prayers which were led by Maulana Ghulam Ali Wazari.
When the funeral procession started moving towards Mewashah Graveyard, it came under heavy teargas shelling from police near the Sea Breeze Plaza. Eyewitnesses said the shelling was so intense that buses carrying the bodies had to return and choose an alternative route.
This enraged youths among the mourners who set fire to public and private property. They also exchanged fire with police, eyewitnesses said.
The worshippers who died in the bomb blast were identified as Danish Raza, Mohammad Raza, Ghulam Abbas, Zain Raza, Mohammad Salman, Mohammad Suliman, Shaban Ali, Haider Ali Soomjee, Syed Masood Ali, Mohammad Ali and Mohammad Sajjad (brothers), Shahzad Ali Bangash, Ghazanffar Abbas, Shahdab Ali, Syed Haider Raza, Sajjad Husain, Asif Ali, Yawar Husain, Raza Askari and Maulana Mushtaq Husain, the pesh imam of the Imambargah Ali Raza mosque.
The bodies of some of the victims were sent to Gilgit, Multan and Jhang. The body of Israr Husain, who worked for Suparco has been sent to Shorkot, Jhang. Haider Ali who died in the Rangers' firing outside the Husaini Blood Bank was laid to rest in Korangi. The second victim of the same firing incident, said to be about 55 years of age, could not be identified.
Talib Ali Zaidi, 28, who was wounded in Rangers' firing, has been shifted to Liaquat National Hospital where he is in stable condition. He lost an eye in the firing. Talib was coming out of the Husaini Blood Bank after donating blood when he suffered the bullet wound. He was first taken to Civil Hospital.