Pakistan security to shoot on sight in Karachi

[July 08, 2011]  KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) -- Security forces were ordered to shoot gunmen on sight Friday in Pakistan's largest city, after three days of violence that killed at least 61 people and prompted political leaders to call for a day of mourning that shut businesses and kept public traffic off the roads.

This week's violent spate in Karachi was among the worst this year for a city that has long been a hotbed of ethnic, sectarian and political tensions. At least 34 people died on Thursday alone, when gunmen strafed buses and went on shooting sprees in several neighborhoods.

Police have yet to determine the motives for the killings, but the order to shoot suspects on sight reflected the authorities' desperation to bring the spiraling violence under control.

Sharjeel Memon, the Sindh province information minister, confirmed the latest death tolls and the security order, saying it was aimed at "any armed miscreant" encountered by police, Rangers and other security troops expected to be deployed in the city.

Memon said at least 70 people were wounded in Thursday's violence.

Karachi is a port city of 18 million people that lies on the Arabian Sea. In any given year, it can easily witness more than 1,000 violent deaths.

According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, 1,138 people have been killed in Karachi in the first six months of this year. Of those, 490 were victims of so-called targeted killings, which are often linked to political, ethnic and sectarian rivalries.

On Friday, the city's most powerful political party, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, called for a "day of mourning." That prompted shutdowns across much of the city, with roads and commercial areas largely deserted.

However, occasional gunshots could still be heard in some areas.

"People are stuck at home, their food and rations are finishing," Karachi resident Mohammad Shahid said. "Where is the government? Where is the police?"

U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter expressed deep concern over the escalating violence in Karachi and in a statement on Friday called "on all parties to refrain from further violence and work toward a peaceful resolution of differences."

The MQM party is accused of links to some of the armed gangs in the city, as are its rivals, the Pakistan People's Party and the Awami National Party.

The MQM was part of the ruling federal coalition, but recently decided to join the opposition. One of the party's top leaders, Raza Haroon, suggested Friday that the political machinations were what prompted the violence.

"We are being punished for leaving the coalition government," he said.

Attempts to reach spokesmen for the federal ruling Pakistan People's Party were not immediately successful.

Pakistan has seen violent crime rise alongside al-Qaida and Taliban-led Islamist militancy in recent years, with Karachi bearing much of the brunt.

Also Friday, a government administrator said Pakistani troops backed by jets killed 11 suspected Taliban militants in the northwest tribal region of Kurram. That brings to 45 the number of suspected insurgents killed in Kurram since the army began an offensive there Sunday, Javed Ullah said.

The Pakistani army's operation in Kurram follows reports that the feared Afghan Taliban militant group, the Haqqani network, is using the territory to help it launch attacks against NATO forces across the border.

But the Pakistani military is more likely focused on Pakistani Taliban militants who have declared war against the state and its security establishment. Many analysts believe Pakistan is hesitant to target the Haqqanis -- as demanded by the U.S. -- because of historical ties to the group.

The information Kurram is nearly impossible to verify independently because the area is remote and dangerous. It is also unclear how the Pakistani authorities distinguish between insurgents and civilians killed during their airstrikes and other battles.

[Associated Press; By ASHRAF KHAN]

Associated Press writer Hussain Afzal in Parachinar contributed to this report.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.