- Title: PAKISTAN: Ten killed in Karachi shooting.
- Date: 23rd May 2012
- Summary: KARACHI, PAKISTAN (MAY 22, 2012) (REUTERS) ACTIVISTS OF AWAMI TEHIK MARCHING WITH PARTY FLAGS
- Embargoed: 7th June 2012 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Pakistan
- City:
- Country: Pakistan
- Topics: Crime
- Reuters ID: LVAAEDUA27YCC5TRDCD9PD21QRS7
- Aspect Ratio:
- Story Text: At least ten people were killed and more than 20 injured on Tuesday (May 22) when unidentified gunmen opened fire at a rally in Pakistan's biggest city Karachi, rescue officials and eyewitnesses said.
There was a burst of sudden gun fire when participants of a regional party rally reached Pan Mandi area in the old city.
Among those injured were a cameraman and a reporter from Duniya Television.
Faisal Edhi, an official at Pakistan's biggest ambulance charity, said at least 10 bodies were brought to the hospital.
Enraged protesters torched several vehicles.
One man described the chaos after the shooting.
"We were marching to Press Club with the rally. As soon as we crossed the street, we were fired upon. I cannot tell you how many of our young men got injured. You can see my bloodied clothes as I picked up many bodies myself," said eye witness Shafiq Baloch.
The rally was organised by members and workers of a less-known regional party called Awami Tehrik Party in protest against the proposed creation of a Mohajir province and a recent police crackdown in Lyari area.
Mohajirs, descendants of Urdu-speakers who migrated from India after the creation of Pakistan in 1947, are the biggest community and dominate the city's politics through the MQM party.
Lyari is Pakistan's most dangerous neighbourhoods in the heart of the teeming city of Karachi, with abundant gangs, kidnappers and extortionists.
Awami Tahreek leader Ayaz Latif Palijo has announced a peaceful strike in Sindh province, of which Karachi is the capital, on Wednesday (May 23).
More than 1,600 people were killed in Karachi last year in either political and sectarian violence or by drug dealers, mafia hitmen and extortionists, marking the worst bloodshed since the army was called in to ease street battles in the 1990s. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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