The death toll continues to rise:
At least 14 persons were killed including 10 in this port city as rioting broke out on Thursday in several parts of Pakistan following the assassination of former premier Benazir Bhutto.
Television channels reported 10 deaths in different parts of Karachi in incidents of firing, looting and setting vehicles, shops and petrol pumps on fire by enraged activists mourning the death of Bhutto.
Police officials said they had reports of people killed in violence but could not confirm the exact figures but said over 100 vehicles had been torched while miscreants had also set dozens of petrols pumps and shops on fire in various parts of the city.
Miscreants also attacked and set on fire police stations in Gulistan-e-Jauhar and Malir Goth.
Two people were killed in Lahore in Punaj province where shops, buses and cars were set on fire, a police officer said. Sporadic gunfire could also be heard echoing around the city.
Two other people were shot dead in the southern province of Sindh.
A clash between police and protesters in the Sindh town of Tando Allahyar left one protester dead, local mayor Kanwar Naveed Jamil told reporters.
Another man was shot dead in Khairpur district, police said.
The real danger here is that most of this anger will likely be directed at Musharraf and his government instead of the radical Islamic elements that have found safe haven in their country. I hope that Bhutto’s supporters find an appropriate and productive way to channel this anger in the coming days.
