Security forces were ordered to shoot gunmen on sight Friday in Pakistan's largest city, after three days of violence that killed at least 61 people and prompted political leaders to call for a day of mourning that shut businesses and kept public traffic off the roads.
This week's violent spate in Karachi was among the worst this year for a city that has long been a hotbed of ethnic, sectarian and political tensions. At least 34 people died on Thursday alone, when gunmen strafed buses and went on shooting sprees in several neighborhoods.
Police have yet to determine the motive for the killings, but the order to shoot suspects on sight reflected the authorities' desperation to bring the spiralling violence under control.
Sharjeel Memon, the Sindh province information minister, confirmed the latest death tolls and the security order, saying it was aimed at "any armed miscreant" encountered by police, Rangers and other security troops expected to be deployed in the city.
Memon said at least 70 people were wounded in Thursday's violence.
Karachi is a port city of 18 million people that lies on the Arabian Sea. On Friday, the city's most powerful political party, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, called for a "day of mourning." That prompted shutdowns across much of the city, with roads and commercial areas largely deserted.
However, occasional gunshots could still be heard in some areas. |