At least 31 people have been killed in the Pakistani city of Karachi after clashes broke out following the killing of a local politician, local media has reported.
Scores were also said to have been injured after Raza Haider and his bodyguard were shot dead outside a mosque on Monday.
Haider’s killing prompted his supporters to erect barricades in the street, and cars, restaurants and other businesses were reportedly set alight.
Fazal Qureshi, the chief editor of the Pakistan press international news agency told Al Jazeera that “all the buses have gone off the road and people aren’t leaving their homes unless they really have to”.
Shops and services have been closed in large areas of Karachi.
“Some have been closed in mouring” for the slain politician, while other shop-owners closed up in fear of rioting and destruction, Quershi said.
Rehman Malik, the interior minister, condemned the assassination and called for calm.
Haider who belonged to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, a partner in the Sindh provincial ruling coalition led by the Pakistan Peoples Party, was targeted by gunmen on two motorcycles in the North Nazimabad neighbourhood.
“He had gone to attend a relative’s funeral. Drive-by shooters attacked him near a mosque, injuring him and his guard seriously,” Waqar Mallan, police official told the AFP news agency.
“He died on his way to hospital. It is a targeted killing.”
Haider’s killing prompted his supporters to erect barricades in the street, and cars, restaurants and other businesses were reportedly set alight.
Fazal Qureshi, the chief editor of the Pakistan press international news agency told Al Jazeera that “all the buses have gone off the road and people aren’t leaving their homes unless they really have to”.
Shops and services have been closed in large areas of Karachi.
“Some have been closed in mouring” for the slain politician, while other shop-owners closed up in fear of rioting and destruction, Quershi said.
Rehman Malik, the interior minister, condemned the assassination and called for calm.
Haider who belonged to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, a partner in the Sindh provincial ruling coalition led by the Pakistan Peoples Party, was targeted by gunmen on two motorcycles in the North Nazimabad neighbourhood.
“He had gone to attend a relative’s funeral. Drive-by shooters attacked him near a mosque, injuring him and his guard seriously,” Waqar Mallan, police official told the AFP news agency.
“He died on his way to hospital. It is a targeted killing.”
‘Conspiracy’
Jameel Soomro, spokesman for the Sindh provincial government, said the killing was a part of a broader “conspiracy”.
“The country is in the grip of natural calamities and we are fighting against terrorists. At this moment, conspirators want to destabilise Karachi, which is the financial engine of Pakistan,” he said.
Provincial authorities have already banned public political meetings in Karachi in an effort to control a rising number of targeted killings.
The government has not released exact figures, but security officials say more than 125 people have died since the beginning of this year.
The city of 16 million is plagued by ethnic and sectarian killings, crime and kidnappings.
Source: Al Jazeera and agencies
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