At least five persons including two security personnel were killed, 11 injured and nine vehicles set on fire, following the strike call given by Awami National Party (ANP) against Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC). The complete shutter-down was witnessed in various areas where all major markets remained closed as miscreants, who took on street since Thursday night, resorted to heavy gunshots and threatened the shopkeepers for dire consequences, if markets were opened.
However, the shops in inner lanes in many localities remained opened. The public transport remained thin in ANP dominated areas including Malir, Banaras, Orangi, Qaidabad, Shah Faisal, SITE, Gulistan-e-Johar, etc where commuters faced a lot of difficulties in reaching their destinations. Fuel and gas stations in these areas were also seen closed and their premises were covered with tents in a bid to avert any kind of loss.
Incidents of violence, arson witnessed in these areas since Thursday night that claimed five lives including two security personnel and 11 others injured, while nine vehicles were torched in Saachal, Toll Plaza, Baloch colony, Orangi town and Gulistan-e-Johar areas.
Heavy contingent of paramilitary rangers and police were deployed at Saachal, Qasba, Qaidabad, Orangi, Shah Faisal, etc to bring law and order situation in control. However, the armed clash between miscreants and law enforcers was witnessed in Saachal area that claimed a live of Rangers personnel Mumtaz Ahmad son of Nawaz Ahmad, while two policemen namely sub-inspector Nawaz and ASI Kadim Hussain also got bullet wounds in the similar incident. The victim Mumtaz, who hailed from Rawalpindi, was deployed in 31 Wing of Saachal Rangers.
Mobina town police said unknown outlaws targeted a 50-year-old Badal son of Gul Muhammad near Musamiyat, adding that the victim, who was shifted to Civil Hospital, was a resident of Saachal. A 20-year-old passer-by was fallen prey to the incidents of violence within limits of Gulshan Iqbal police. The victim, who was identified as Syed Ali Shah son of Sattar Ali Shah, received fatal bullet wounds and died on the spot.
One Faisal Barohi son of Aqal Muhammad was also killed in a similar firing incident in the limits of Al-Faleh police while a cop, who got injured at Banaras on Thursday night, succumbed to his injures during treatment. The victim, Muktiyar Ahmad son of Qadir Ahmad, a resident of Orangi Town No 10, was deployed in the same area where he resided.