Pakistan's Karachi Shuts Down to Protest Violence
- 14 years ago
And Pakistan's commercial capital of Karachi was mostly shut down today. A strike was called in the city to protest against violence after a suicide bomber killed 43 people at a religious procession this week.
Pakistan's Karachi City was shut down today by strike action protesting against a suicide bombing on Monday that killed 43 people.
The Taliban had claimed responsibility for Monday's attack on a huge crowd of Shi'ite Muslims during a religious procession. They threatened more bloodshed as they are determined to topple the government.
Karachi's streets were nearly empty.
Police and paramilitary forces carried out patrols. Residents were not taking any chances, fearful of new attacks by militants who have killed hundreds of people since October.
Police have arrested 18 people since riots triggered by the bombing destroyed hundreds of shops.
Shopkeepers retrieved belongings from the rubble of the gutted shops.
[Mohammad Adeel, Shopkeeper]: (Urdu, male)
"The one who passes through the agony knows the ordeal. People's businesses are ruined, many are completely broke. The people linked to these businesses, some of them daily-wages workers, are jobless. What else they can do except go on strike?"
The bloodshed is also frustrating many Pakistanis. Hundreds of shops were torched in the rampage that followed the bombing that hit Karachi, a teeming city of 18 million.
[Mohammad Farooq, Shop Keeper]: (Urdu, male)
"Whatever (violence) is happening in the country is wrong. The poor shopkeepers have lost millions of rupees. They should be provided with justice and proper compensation.”
Analysts fear further attacks here could raise doubts about the prospects of recovery for an economy in virtual recession.
Pakistan's Karachi City was shut down today by strike action protesting against a suicide bombing on Monday that killed 43 people.
The Taliban had claimed responsibility for Monday's attack on a huge crowd of Shi'ite Muslims during a religious procession. They threatened more bloodshed as they are determined to topple the government.
Karachi's streets were nearly empty.
Police and paramilitary forces carried out patrols. Residents were not taking any chances, fearful of new attacks by militants who have killed hundreds of people since October.
Police have arrested 18 people since riots triggered by the bombing destroyed hundreds of shops.
Shopkeepers retrieved belongings from the rubble of the gutted shops.
[Mohammad Adeel, Shopkeeper]: (Urdu, male)
"The one who passes through the agony knows the ordeal. People's businesses are ruined, many are completely broke. The people linked to these businesses, some of them daily-wages workers, are jobless. What else they can do except go on strike?"
The bloodshed is also frustrating many Pakistanis. Hundreds of shops were torched in the rampage that followed the bombing that hit Karachi, a teeming city of 18 million.
[Mohammad Farooq, Shop Keeper]: (Urdu, male)
"Whatever (violence) is happening in the country is wrong. The poor shopkeepers have lost millions of rupees. They should be provided with justice and proper compensation.”
Analysts fear further attacks here could raise doubts about the prospects of recovery for an economy in virtual recession.