Nine more people were killed in various incidents of firing across Karachi on Saturday, as the city witnessed the observance of peaceful mourning day for four MQM workers. Markets remained closed until 4pm while traffic remained thin on the roads. Police recovered dead bodies packed in gunny bags from Maripur, Orangi while four persons were shot dead at Banarus bridge. According to details, unidentified armed men opened fire on a motorcycle and car injuring five people. Later, four victims died during medical treatment.
After the Banaras firing incident, the situation deteriorated across the city as one more person was gunned down in Orangi No 10. In UP Mor, unidentified armed men opened fire at a coach, killing the driver. In Orangi Town, the body of 40-year-old Salahuddin was found, police said. The violence spread to the Defence area of the city as well, where in Phase II one person (Zohaib) was killed when armed men opened fire on a car at a petrol station. A spokesman for the Rangers said that in targeted raids, more than three dozen suspected persons were arrested for interrogation. The Traders Alliance in Karachi announced that despite the holiday on April 1, all markets and business centres would remain open. It said in the last ten days, markets remained open only for three days causing losses of billions of rupees. President Asif Ali Zardari dashed to Karachi on Saturday morning to take stock of the law and order in the city. He directed Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah to launch a strict crackdown against terrorists in the city. Sindh High Court (SHC) Chief Justice Mushir Alam also took notice of the violence in the metropolis. He has sought a report in this connection from Inspector General of Sindh Police (IGP) Mushtaq Ahmed Shah and Sindh Rangers Director General Maj Gen Rizwan Akhtar.