Karachi (AsiaNews / Agencies) – The provisional toll from a night of violent clashes in Karachi, Pakistan is 34 dead and 100. The violence erupted overnight, following the killing of Raza Haider, a politician from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement ( MQM) party, a member of the ruling coalition. Haider was killed yesterday along with his bodyguard outside a mosque, as he prepared to attend a funeral. A witnesses said the murder was carried out by four men who arrived and fled on motorcycles.
As the news of the assassination spread dozens of cars carrying armed men blocked the main streets of the city and the first shots of firearms were heard.
The violence is fuelled by ethnic tensions between the prevailing political rivalries. Haider's party leaders, such as Babar Ghauri, in fact, have accused supporters of 'Awami National Party (ANP) of being behind the attack. The two parties are rivals, although they both belong to the same coalition, but the PNA is particularly representative of the Pashtun community. Haider, however, belonged to the Shia community, which saw dozens killed in Karachi, Dec. 20, 2009, when a procession was bombed.
Police said all or most, of those killed in the violence last night belong to the Pashtun community.
In fact, security officials believe, despite MQM allegations, from the modality of the murder that it was committed by Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, which has links to al-Qaeda.
Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani has appealed for calm and promised an investigation into the murder.