DOZENS DIE IN KARACHI VIOLENCE
Baku, August 4 (AZERTAC). Police in Pakistan say at least 45 people have been killed in the country`s commercial capital of Karachi since Monday`s assassination of a senior leader of the city`s dominant political party.
The slain politician, Raza Haider, was a provincial lawmaker and belonged to the Muttahida Quami Movement or MQM political party. He was attending a funeral in Karachi late on Monday when unknown gunmen riding motorcycles attacked and killed the lawmaker along with his bodyguard.
Police say an outbreak of violence following the deadly attack left dozens of people dead and scores of others wounded. Angry protesters also set fire to a number of vehicles and private and government properties across Karachi.
Tense situation
Authorities deployed paramilitary forces to help police bring the situation under control, but there was no let-up in the violence throughout the night. The tense city was shuttered by the violence on Tuesday. Traffic was very thin as schools were closed and business activity halted in Pakistan`s largest city.
Known as the lifeline of the country`s economy, Karachi is home to the main port, stock exchange and the central bank.
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