In the worst clashes between pro-government and opposition activists over suspended Chief Justice Iftikhar M Chaudhry, at least 14 people were killed and dozens injured.
KARACHI: In the worst clashes between pro-government and opposition activists over suspended Chief Justice Iftikhar M Chaudhry, at least 14 people were killed and dozens injured in this commercial and business hub of Pakistan, further deepening the political crisis in the country.
The groups supporting Chaudhry and President Pervez Musharraf fired at each other as the suspended Chief Justice reached Karachi for a mass rally protesting against the March nine action against him on charges that he misused his authority.
Geo TV reported that the clashes left at least 14 people dead.
The casualties were reported in the firing when Chaudhry's supporters, including workers of opposition parties, clashed with activists of pro-government political outfits like Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM). Two people earlier died in violence last night in Malir city and Shah Faisal.
The latest clashes were reported from areas like Drigh Road, FTC Bridge, Shah Faisal, Malir and Landhi.
"We are trying to get our ambulances at these affected spots but due to the heavy firing between groups it is difficult to get there. We are waiting for the law enforcement agencies to clear the areas," said an official of the Edhi Trust, a leading welfare organisation.
Police sources, however, refused to give the exact number of casualties saying the firing was still continuing. But they said some policemen were wounded in firing in Kala board.
MQM leader Imran Farooq claimed that several of their rallies in Banaras chowk, Drigh Road and Sohrab Goth had been fired at.
Some ten heavy trawlers, wagons and cars were also torched in clashes on the main artery road of the city, Shahrah-e-Faisal near Drigh road railway station which links the city to the Airport.
"The two groups have taken up positions on either side of the road and exchange of firing is still continuing and the police and rangers are doing nothing," an eyewitness said.
There were also reports of heavy aerial firing and of six people being wounded in Sohrab Goth which is the main entry point for the city from the interior of Sindh province.
"There have also been reports of gunshot firing in Malir city, PIB colony, Landhi, Site and Sohrab Goth," a police source said.
The situation in the city has been tense since last night with the lawyers and opposition parties gearing up to greet the suspended judge and take him to the Sindh High Court Bar Association office in the heart of Karachi for a big rally and the MQM also preparing for a massive rally on MA Jinnah road.
Musharraf is also scheduled to address a massive public rally in front of Parliament in the capital Islamabad.
TV channels quoted Chaudhry's chief counsel and lawyers, who accompanied him from Islamabad to Karachi on a flight, as claiming that as soon as they landed here, security officials tried to whisk him away and jostled and hustled him before they saved him and took him to a safe spot in the airport.
Chaudhry's chief counsel Aitzaz Ahsan told Geo TV that the suspended judge would only leave the airport lounge after the government assured him of his security and cleared the roads and gave him a safe passage to the Sindh High Court Bar Association office.
But the Sindh Advisor on home affairs, Waseem Akhtar said the government was willing to take him to any place he wanted but he had to inform them first.
The Chief Justice of the Sindh High Court earlier ordered authorities to immediately clear all roads and arteries of all types of blockades and allow the suspended judge a clear and hurdle free passage to the bar Association office.
Sindh Chief Justice Sabihuddin Ahmed issued the on-the- spot instructions to the provincial home secretary, chief secretary and inspector general of police in an emergency hearing after lawyers and opposition parties were prevented from going to the airport to greet Chaudhry.
Ahmed expressed his anger at the tense situation in the city and reports of violent clashes between opposition party workers and lawyers with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement from some parts of Karachi.
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