950823

8 killed, 20 vehicles burnt

Industries, offices,

shops closed on first

day of MQM strike

KARACHI: Shops and businesses shut on Wednesday amid sporadic violence which killed at least eight people at the start of a two-day strike called by the Mohajir Qaumi Movement.

Police said those killed included a soldier.

The MQM called the strike for Wednesday and Thursday to protest against what it called indiscriminate arrests of thousands of its supporters and to mourn the death of several activists in gunbattles with police.

Traffic was thin in the troubled port city with shops and major business and shopping centres closed fearing violence.

Unidentified people burned 20 vehicles, a hotel and five shops and forced most public transport to stay off the road, police said.

The Karachi Stock Exchange suspended trading for the day because very few brokers turned up for work. Dealers said lack of public transport and fear of violence kept people at home.

Trading at the Karachi Cotton Exchange also remained very thin. Most local and foreign banks were closed, bankers said.

Our staff reporter adds: Entire industrial, commercial and social activities came to a standstill in the city. Except for those industrial units having residential facilities for their workers, all industrial units remained idle as the attendance of the workers was so poor that the plants could not be put into operation.

Business activity at all major markets was also affected because of the strike. Schools in the affected areas remained closed.

Early in the morning at about 3.30 a.m. a powerful bomb went off in New Karachi area which rocked the entire locality. The residents became panicky and ran out of their houses.

The dead body of Army Sepoy Mohammad Yaqoob was found lying in PIB Colony area. The body bore marks of torture and bullets.

An other dead body of a young man was found lying in Orangi Town area.

Syed Imran Jamil was killed in firing incident in Marston Quarters area. Farman Husain a vegetable seller was killed in sniper firing in PIB Colony.

One Moula Baksh was killed in an encounter with police in Lea Market area. Dead body of Abdul Khaliq was recovered from a bag found lying in Orangi Town area.

A KESC truck was torched in Ramswami area and a KTC bus was torched in Liaquatabad area. Two shops were set on fire in Mohajir Camp.

Some armed men snatched the official jeep of the Deputy Director, KMC from PIB Colony and later set it on fire. A truck was burnt also in PIB Colony and a bus was torched in Lyari.

Only few buses were seen plying on the roads. Taxis, mini buses, private cars remained off the roads.

Firing was reported from Gulbahar, Pak Colony, Korangi, Orangi, New Karachi, Baldia Town Sharifabad and Liaquatabad areas.

In New Karachi two vehicles were torched.

A dead body of Shamsher Khan, police constable was found lying in Khajji Ground. Another dead body was found from Mominabad area.

A hotel was set on fire in Liaquatabad area.

According to BR correspondent Hafeez Shaikh in Hyderabad: Complete shut down of the twin cities of Hyderabad and Latifabad was witnessed here on Wednesday on the strike call of the MQM with arson and damage to four vehicles, attack on law enforcers and incidents of aerial firing and cracker explosions. No casualty or injury to any person was reported from any locality.

All the main markets, bazars, mandis, cinema houses and other business establishments remained closed. Most of the schools remained closed while attendance in the government and semi-government offices was thin. Less traffic was seen on the roads.

Aerial firing which was started last night, continued intermittently in almost all the localities of the twin cities including Sarfraz Colony, Chotti Gitti, Shahi Bazar, Fakir Ka Pir, Phulleli, Paretabad, Pacc Qila, Liaquat Colony and different units of Latifababad. Few miscreants torched a government Datsun late Tuesday night in Latifabad Unit No. 11.

Angry youth also manhandled the staff of Wapda in Shahi Bazar and tried to burn their vehicle.

A police mobile of Pinyari Police Station was fired upon in Paretabad last night.

Two crackers were also hurled near City Police Station which was followed by intense firing.

Intense patrolling by the rangers and police was also witnessed in the twin cities. In Tando Allahyar, Tando Jam and Mirpurkhas complete strike was observed while in Nawabshah it remained partial.

PRESS NOTE

Meanwhile, the District Magistrate, Hyderabad has issued the following press note: Strike was observed in main parts of city and Latifabad on 23-8-95. However, more than 50 percent of the traffic was plying. Shops remained opened in Qasimabad, Hussainabad, Saddar, Cantonment, Tando Wali Mohammad, Wahdat Colony, Hali Road, Sabzi Mandi, General Bus Stand and surrounding areas. On 22-8-95 at about 11.30 p.m. miscreants tried to set ablaze a Toyota pickup at Unit No. 9 Latifabad which was saved due to timely arrival of police. Aerial firing was reported in some parts of the city and Latifabad sub-division. Crackers were exploded in the jurisdiction of City Police Station, Phulleli and Market. No loss of life or injury was reported from anywhere. Cases have been registered under the relevant sections and 13-person have been arrested. Further investigation is in progress.

PPI adds: On the call of Co-ordination Committee of the Mohajir Qaumi Movement (A) in protest against the kidnappings and murders of its activists a strike was observed in Sukkur on Wednesday. According to reports, all the main business centres including Shahi Bazar, Sarafa Bazar, Mach Bazar, Fere Road, Cloth Market, Nishtar Road, Minara Market, Mehran Markaz and Shaheed Gang remained closed. Few small business centres in some parts of the city remain opened, however, the traffic on the road was as usual. Some miscreants threw fire-crackers at Clock Tower to create harassment. The security arrangements were tightened and heavy police and rangers were posted at main crossing of the city. No untoward incident was reported.