Affrontements à Karachi : 44 morts – 23-24-25 juillet 2011

Karachi violence leaves 44 dead in three days

omantribune.com

26 07 2011

KARACHI Fresh political and ethnic violence gripped the commercial capital over the past three days, leaving up to 44 people dead and taking the death toll for July to about 185, Karachi city police said on Monday.

ost of the weekend’s casualties were reported in the city’s eastern Malir, Landhi and adjoining areas — a multi-ethnic, lower middle class neighbourhood.

“We have identified the people and at least 200 police commandos will be dispatched to search and arrest these people,” said Naeem Boroka, a top police official in Karachi’s eastern area.

Police said there was no clear reason for the latest bout of fighting. The city, home to more than 18 million people, has a long history of ethnic, religious and sectarian violence and local quarrels and political disputes can often explode into battles engulfing entire districts.

Sporadic gunfire echoed around the port city’s eastern districts of Malir, Khokhrapar and Landhi overnight, residents said. Most of the criminal gangs are believed to be hiding in the impoverished neighbourhoods.

“At least 16 people have died over the past 24 hours, they were victims of ethnic and sectarian violence,” city police chief Saud Mirza said. “We have rushed additional police force to the troubled areas and the situation has improved.”

A police officer said two mortar shells were fired in the clashes between rival activists. Read more…

Pakistan: violenze a Karachi, bilancio sale a 27 morti

adnkronos.com

26 luglio, ore 08:39

Islamabad, 26 lug. – (Adnkronos/Aki) – E’ salito ad almeno 27 morti il bilancio dell’ultima ondata di violenze a Karachi, citta’ portuale del Pakistan meridionale, dove 16 persone sono morte nelle ultime 24 ore. Lo riferisce la tv locale Samaa, ricordando che le ultime tensioni, a sfondo politico ed etnico, sono scoppiate venerdi’ scorso. Intanto a Karachi, motore economico del Paese, sono state dispiegate centinaia di agenti di polizia e delle forze paramilitari nel tentativo di contenere le violenze.