At least eight people have been killed in violence in Pakistan’s largest city Karachi since early Saturday morning, with three people shot dead by gunfire from unknown armed assailants.
Trouble erupted in parts of Pakistan’s Sindh province on Friday after Muttaid Qaumi Movement leader Altaf Hussain demanded a separate province for the Urdu-speaking population who migrated from India during Partition.
Violence erupted in Gulshan Iqbal, Gulshan-e-Jauhar and Nipa Chorangi areas on Saturday morning as protesters pelted stones at vehicles and resorted to firing after five more people were killed in other parts of the city.
The protesters, who also blocked traffic on the roads, opposed Hussein’s remarks.
“Some people were arrested this morning for shooting and causing damage to property,” the police officer said.
Earlier, three persons, including two brothers, were shot dead at their shop at Maskan Chowrangi in Gulshan-e-Iqbal.
Unidentified men on motorcycles opened fire at a juice shop, killing the owner and two workers (believed to be brothers) and injuring four others.
Police said the group involved in the attack targeted Muskan Chowrangi and surrounding areas and shopkeepers were ordered to close their shops at midnight.
Pakistan’s commercial hub, Karachi, is a stronghold of the Urdu-speaking Muhajir community who migrated from India during Partition.
Published – January 4, 2014 12:49 pm EST.