Gunning down of an MQM lawmaker sparked bloody rioting in Pakistan’s port city of Karachi as protesters went on a rampage torching vehicles, shops and houses leading to the death of 47 persons.

Over 130 persons were injured in the violence which began last night after motorcycle-borne unidentified gunmen shot dead Syed Raza Haider, a senior leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and a member of the Sindh assembly, his bodyguard and a MQM worker, officials said. Haider had gone to a mosque to attend a funeral when he was attacked.

The killing infuriated Mohjahirs, who form the majority in this city, as they forced downing of shutters and attacked establishments belonging to the Pakhtoons. There were reports of gunfire erupting in parts of the city.

The violence continued in the city this morning too as protesters set on fire dozens of vehicles, petrol pumps, shops and houses as police and paramilitary forces struggled to gain control of the city.

Incidents of violence, including firing by armed groups and arson, claimed 47 lives and left over 130 injured, TV channels quoted police and hospital sources as saying.

The violence affected several areas, including Baldia Town, Orangi Town, Gulistan-e-Johar, Landhi and Korangi.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik said Haider had received threats from the Sipah-e-Sihaba, a banned anti-Shia group. He said the police and intelligence agencies would probe the killing jointly.

“The religious extremists belonging to Sipah-e-Sihaba are responsible for this heinous crime, “ Malik told the Senate here as members accused government for worsening law and order situation in Karachi. “The purpose is to destabilise Karachi that would in turn destabilise the country,” he added.

ANP Sindh chief Shahi Syed said: “MQM armed militants are targeting Pakhtoons by killing them and burning their property.” He condemned the murder of Haider and his gunman but said the Awami National Party (ANP) or Pakhtoons had nothing to do with that.

Malik also told the Senate that the Sipah-e-Sihaba and not the ANP was responsible for the murder. He said the police has rounded up 20 suspects belonging to the Sipah-e-Sihaba. He said Raza and the MQM leadership were warned by federal agencies about three days ago that his life was in danger.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and other leaders appeal for calm in the wake of the killings, but violence soon flared up in Karachi, a city riven by sectarian and ethnic tensions.

The MQM, which is a partner in the ruling coalitions in Sindh and at the centre, called for three days of mourning in Karachi. MQM leader Faisal Sabzwari hinted that the ANP, which draws support from Pashtu-speaking people, could have had a hand in Haider’s killing.

(With inputs from PTI)

Moscow, August 3
Demanding a “comprehensive and not partial” action by Pakistan against terrorism, India today said Russia shared its concerns about threats emanating from the Pakistani tribal belt along the Afghan border, a safe haven for Al-Qaida and Taliban militants.

“India and Russia have similar approaches. The desire is to put an end to terrorism and threats emanating from the Pakistani tribal areas,” visiting Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao told reporters here after her parleys with the Russian officials.

She was responding to a question about Russia’s growing engagement with Pakistan and hosting of a quadripartite summit by President Dmitry Medvedev later this month with the leaders of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Tajikistan.

“Involvement of Pakistan is a reality, which no one can ignore. The issue is to convey a message to Islamabad the action against terrorism has to be comprehensive and not partial,” Rao said, adding that this is what both countries want.

Rao, who was here on a visit for the regular Foreign Secretary-level consultations, said India and Russia have affirmed their commitment to jointly work for promoting, peace, security and stability in Afghanistan.

The two countries “share views on the situation in Afghanistan and reiterate their commitment to jointly work on promoting peace and stability in the country, which is a part of the calculus in promoting regional connectivity for development,” she said.

Rao yesterday held talks with her Russian counterpart, First Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Denisov, and Deputy Foreign Minister Alexei Borodavkin on a wide range of bilateral and international issues, including situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Her Moscow visit had acquired special importance in the wake of last month’s Kabul conference on Afghanistan’s future. “The red lines for the integration of Taliban fighters into the Afghan mainstream were drawn by the London Conference (January 2010), which clearly laid the guidelines for this. I think Minister (Sergei) Lavrov also spoke about it (at Kabul meet).

Islamabad: Needling India over the violence in Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan on Tuesday asked it to "exercise restraint" while expressing "unequivocal solidarity" with the Kashmiris.

In a statement that may raise hackles in New Delhi, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi spoke about "escalation of violence against Kashmiri people".

"Pakistan is seriously concerned at the escalation of violence against Kashmiri people that has resulted in the loss of innocent lives. There is a need for the government of India to exercise restraint," he said. The minister raked up the issue of "self-determination", saying Islamabad will extend political, moral and diplomatic support to the Kashmiri people.

"Pakistan expresses its unequivocal solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir and shall continue to extend its political, moral and diplomatic support to the just cause of the people of Jammu and Kashmir for their right to self-determination," he said.

Qureshi said the statement by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressing "concern at the prevailing security situation" and the "deep concern and disappointment" expressed recently by the Organisation of the Islamic Conference reflected the "collective concern of the international community at the human rights violations" in Jammu and Kashmir. — PTI

Kathmandu, August 3
Amid growing concern over the deepening constitutional crisis in Nepal, Parliament will hold a fourth vote to try to elect a new prime minister following the failure of Maoist supremo Prachanda and his Nepali Congress rival RC Poudyal to get a clear majority.

More than a month after the 22-party coalition led by Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal collapsed, a third run-off poll yesterday failed to elect a new leader, with both Prachanda and 65-year-old Poudyal unable to get majority support of the lawmakers in the 601-member Constituent Assembly.

The deadlocked political parties will meet for the fourth time in just over two weeks on Friday to elect a new Prime Minister. The new election will be held on August 6, according to Parliament secretariat.

As per the provisions in the interim constitution, the election process will be repeated till one of the candidates gets a clear majority support of 50 per cent plus votes.

The country has been in political limbo since the June 30 resignation of Nepal, who is currently heading a caretaker government. — PTI

Paris/London, August 3
Ahead of his visit to the UK, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari today said he intended to confront David Cameron on his stinging remarks about Pakistan’s support for terror as the British Prime Minister insisted that he did not regret his comments.

“The war against terrorism must unite us and not divide us,” Zardari told the French newspaper ‘Le Monde’ after meeting French leaders, including President Sarkozy, before leaving for London where he will meet Cameron.

“I will explain face-to-face that it is my country that is paying the highest price for war against terror,” Zardari, who is facing flak back home for embarking on a foreign tour, said of his meeting with British Prime Minister on Friday. But Cameron remained unrelenting insisting that he did not regret his comments.

As the issue continued to cloud Zardari’s visit to Britain, Cameron said he had given “a pretty clear and frank answer” to a straight question while on a visit to India last week. “I don’t regret that at all,” Cameron told the BBC Radio.

The British Prime Minster said: “There has been and still is a problem of terror groups in Pakistan that threaten other countries.

“[They] also threaten our troops in Afghanistan, threaten India and threaten us in the UK, and need to be dealt with,” Cameron said. — PTI