KARACHI: Seven people were killed in different incidents across Karachi as normalcy slowly started to return to the city after shops and markets reopened in different areas, Express 24/7 reported on Saturday.
One person was killed in PIB Colony and miscreants burnt down a store in Shah Faisal Colony. The death toll from five days of violence has risen to 108.
Traders have announced shops and markets will remain open today. Petrol pumps in the city are also open.
All Karachi Traders Union Chairman, Attique Mir has said all markets and business centres will remain open. He said that daily wage workers were suffering due to closure of businesses.
Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry President, Saeed Shafique has said that traders and industrialists will go on an indefinite strike if the government does not control the situation in the city.
Karachi Transport Union President, Irshad Bukhari has also announced that there will be no strike today, but any serious incident might affect their decision.
The MQM had earlier called for a ‘day of mourning’ to mark the killing of the victims of the previous three days of violence. Karachi’s transportation union also declared a strike, effectively paralysing the city.
Rangers enter Qasba, suspects arrested
Rangers and police are carrying out an operation in Qasba Colony to hunt down miscreants and to rescue and evacuate residents trapped in the violence hit area, Express News reported on Saturday.
Sindh Rangers had earlier received a written notification for taking charge of the troubled areas, to conduct operations and take all ‘necessary’ actions to restore peace.
Over a dozen miscreants were arrested after a large number of police and Rangers cordoned off different sectors of Qasba Colony after midnight.
Express 24/7 correspondent, Shaheryar Mirza reported the operation was not a door-to-door one but Rangers personnel were targeting houses that had been identified as having criminal elements inside.
Firing had reportedly stopped after law enforcement personnel took control of the area.
Rangers Spokesman Major Bilal has said that forces did not face any retaliation during the operation.
Stranded people were evacuated in ambulances and armoured vehicles after Rangers entered the area.
Rangers have rescued at least 50 families from the area.
Those being evacuated from the area have started moving to homes of relatives nearby.
Earlier, Rangers had also taken control of Kati Pahari and Orangi Town. Heavy contingents of rangers and police reached Katti Pahari and Orangi town and shifted women and children to safety in armoured vehicles.
Although a large number of people have been moved to safer places, many people are still trapped in their houses without medicines and food supply.
More than 100 people have been killed during the last four days in an ongoing wave of violence that has hit Karachi and paralysed life in the port city.
At least 490 people were killed in targeted killings in the first six months of 2011, compared to 748 in 2010 and 272 in 2009.