Karachi (AsiaNews) - At least 12 people, including a woman, were killed in a series of violent clashes yesterday in Karachi between groups of lawyers against and in favour of Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf. It is the most serious violence since the victory of the opposition in the legislative elections on February 18. Paramilitary and police forces were deployed today in the city, the economic capital of the country and the stronghold of the opposition to the president. The authorities promise "drastic action" to prevent further bloodshed.
The spark that led to the explosion of violence yesterday was struck during a demonstration by lawyers of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, a party close to the president. This was called following the aggression that took place on the previous day, in Lahore, on the part of one of Musharraf's former ministers, Sher Afgan Niaz, and another (on April 7) against the former chief minister of the state of Sindh, Arab Rahim. According to various witnesses, the demonstration ran up against another group of lawyers hostile to Musharraf, although it is not clear who started the violence. Numerous cars and buses were burned, as well as an undetermined number of buildings. In Tahir Plaza, a building that contained a law office, the charred bodies of six people were recovered.
Strong condemnation of yesterday's incident comes from the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, which in a statement asks for the opening of an investigation, and singles out the "enemies of democracy". According to other analysts, like the activist I.A. Rehman, the incidents in Karachi were intended to discredit the new democratic government. For the executive director of the South Asia Partnership - Pakistan, Muhammad Tahseen, those responsible are the politicians who feel threatened by the new majority coalition in parliament.
