Pakistan's biggest city and financial hub witnessed a complete shutdown today after the Mutthaida Qaumi Movement (MQM) announced a day of mourning protesting the alleged extra-judicial killing of its senior worker who had been missing since last month.
The city wore a deserted look as major shopping centres, markets, petrol pumps and schools remained closed with few public and private transport plying on the roads.
Hundreds of people attended the funeral of the slain party worker, Sohail Ahmed at the Jinnah ground outside the MQM headquarters today with tension and fear prevailing in the city.
Ahmed's body was found with multiple bullet wounds from the outskirts of Karachi yesterday after he went missing for the last one month with MQM leaders claiming he was picked up by plain clothed security personnel.
Taking note of the serious situation, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif called up senior MQM leader Babar Ghouri and said that he would be visiting the city tomorrow to look into the matter himself and meet the family members of the slain worker.
The death of the worker has led to a serious friction between the MQM and the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party in Sindh accused of giving a free hand to the paramilitary rangers and police to pursue an operation against the MQM workers.
MQM chief Altaf Hussain and other senior leaders have said that the Sindh province chief minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah should be held responsible for the killing of party workers and have announced they will approach the higher courts for justice.
MQM's senior leader and MNA Syed Haider Abbas told a press conference today that the party would be holding a series of protests to seek justice for the family of the slain worker.
"Karachi is no more Karachi and it is under occupation by rangers and police officials from outside the province. Majority senior police officials are not locals and this is called occupation," he said.
Abbas warned that there could be a serious backlash from the party workers if they have to live in constant fear and not be treated fairly by the police.
