MQM observes day of mourning.

A security official stands alert to

 avoid any untoward incident

 while the road gives a desert look

 during a strike called by the

 Muttahida Qaumi Movement. — Photo by PPI

KARACHI|06|June|2013:: Businesses and educational institutions in Karachi and other cities of Sindh were shut on Thursday, after the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) announced a day of mourning to protest against the killings of its three party workers in Malir.

Moreover, schools, shops and petrol stations were closed in Karachi. Earlier, the traders, transporters and fuel stations associations unanimously announced that they would stay away from their businesses for both support and ‘security’ reasons. Several localities in Karachi gave a deserted look.

The Board of Intermediate Education, Karachi, postponed its papers that were to be held today. These papers will now be held on Friday (June 7). The timings and examination centres will remain unchanged.

Earlier, according to police, three young factory workers were kidnapped and shot dead on Wednesday while another man was critically wounded in Khokhrapar.

While the Sindh government constituted a team of senior police officers led by the DIG east to probe the killing of the three factory workers, MQM activists and leaders carrying coffins staged a sit-in outside the Chief Minister House and demanded action against the banned Peoples Amn Committee.

The police said the four factory workers as a matter of routine were on their way in a bus (T-0361) to a textile mill in Korangi from their residences in Khokhrapar when several gunmen intercepted the vehicle near Malok Hotel and took away the four workers at gunpoint on Wednesday morning.

The police investigators suspected that the killings might be the result of a brawl among the factory workers a few days ago.

MQM’s Haider Abbas Rizvi told a press conference on Wednesday that ‘terrorists of banned People’s Amn Committee’ were responsible for the killings and that ‘they are being used for ethnic cleansing of Mohajirs’.

Accompanied by MQM leader Wasay Jalil and others, Mr Rizvi said on the one hand ‘terrorists of the Amn Committee’ had been given a free hand to extort money, kidnap people for ransom, kill MQM workers, and on the other hand ‘innocent MQM workers’ were being illegally detained and no institution was willing to tell who was responsible for their disappearance.

He urged newly-elected Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to take notice of the killing of the MQM workers and supporters and provide protection to the people of Karachi from gangsters.(Courtesy:Dawn)