Shops in major markets as well as petrol pumps were closed and traffic suspended in Nazimabad, North Nazimabad, Qasba, Pirabad, Orangi Town, among other neighbourhoods.
Political violence has killed at least 38 people here in the last three days with the main ethnic parties trading accusations over the targeted killings that Pakistani security agencies are struggling to contain.
Relations between Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and the Awami National Party (ANP) -- the two main ethnic parties in Karachi -- remained tense today as the death toll in the violence rose to 38 since Wednesday.
The leaders of the MQM and ANP who are also coalition partners of the ruling PPP in the Sindh province exchanged barbs and accusations over the target killings.
City police chief, Wasim Ahmed said the situation had been brought under great deal of control in the last 24 hours with the heavy deployment of the para-military Pakistan Rangers and the police.
"We have also arrested over 650 people we suspected are involved in these target killings and other criminal activities and are trying to disturb the peace of the city," he said.
But violence was reported even on Friday from some parts of the city where 10 vehicles were set on fire and incidents of firing were reported from some localities.
Geo TV reported that shops in major markets as well as petrol pumps were closed and traffic suspended in Nazimabad, North Nazimabad, Qasba, Pirabad, Orangi Town, among other neighbourhoods.
Last night armed men indulged in aerial firing in several localities including Taimuria, North Nazimabad, Shahre Noorjahan, New Karachi, Gulberg, Liaquatabad, and Jackson neighbourhoods.
The violence, which began on Tuesday night, has targeted activists of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), the Awami National Party (ANP), the Muhajir Qaumi Movement— Pakistan (MQM—P) and the Jamaat—e—Islami (JI).
Shahi Syed, the ANP president in Sindh called on the chief justice of Pakistan to take suo motto notice of the "targetted killings" in which he claimed many of his party workers had been killed.
The MQM in retaliation called Shahi Syed a land grabber who patronised criminal elements.
The MQM yesterday boycotted a meeting called by the chief minister to discuss the law and order situation with coalition partners and other parties after the ANP boycotted a meeting of the Sindh governor, who is a nominee of the MQM.
The MQM and the ANP who are also coalition partners of the PPP in the centre have constantly been at loggerheads as they push the interests of their respective communities — the Mohajirs who migrated from India when the sub—continent was partitioned and the Pushtoon—origin residents of Karachi.
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