Asia-Pacific

11 killed ahead of rally in Pakistan

(AP)
Updated: 2007-05-12 20:16

KARACHI, Pakistan - Clashes between rival parties killed at least 11 people and wounded dozens as Pakistan's political crisis descended into violence ahead of planned protests over President Gen. Pervez Musharraf's suspension of the chief justice.

In some of the bloodiest fighting, pro-government and opposition activists armed with assault rifles traded fire with assault rifles about half a mile from Karachi's international airport. A witness said three people traveling in a car were killed and a passer-by was wounded.

Karachi police officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment to the media, said at least 11 people had died in violence across the city, and more than 70 were wounded. A senior government official reported that 10 to 12 people had died.

The fighting broke out as Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry arrived for the latest in a series of rallies by lawyers and opposition parties protesting his March 9 suspension.

Critics accuse Musharraf, who took power in a bloodless coup in 1999, of trying to sideline the independent-minded judge to head off legal challenges to the president's plan to seek another five-year term. The government denies the move was politically motivated and says Chaudhry abused his office.

Two months of anti-Musharraf rallies organized across the country by opposition parties and lawyers have been gathering momentum, and on Saturday, pro-government parties were responding with their own shows of strength. Musharraf was due to address a huge gathering in Islamabad to galvanize his support base.

Roadblocks, including trucks with deflated tires, prevented most of Chaudhry's supporters from reaching him at the airport. But a few dozen lawyers who reached there on foot chanted, "We are with you! Down with Musharraf!"

The judge declined an offer from authorities to travel to the venue of a planned downtown rally by helicopter and so was stranded at the airport, as were hundreds of passengers from earlier flights. It appeared unlikely authorities would be able to clear the roadblocks.

Wasim Akhtar, an official with the provincial government, urged the chief justice to go back to Islamabad to avoid further violence. His party, partner in a coalition ruling Sindh province, of which Karachi is the capital, had planned a counter-rally to rival Chaudhry's.

Authorities in Karachi said they deployed 15,000 security forces but they failed to keep order in the turbulent city of 15 million.

Violence broke out before dawn, when unidentified gunmen killed two opposition activists. Gunshots were heard across the city.

Witnesses said that shipping containers, trucks and oil tankers, many with deflated tires, had been parked on key roads in Karachi overnight, including those leading to the airport - apparently to block Chaudhry's supporters. Around 200 to 300 passengers were stranded at the airport. Airport officials said at least three domestic flights were canceled.

Baton-wielding government supporters also were accused of attacking about 200 lawyers as they marched to Sindh High Court, where Chaudhry was due to make an address.

Earlier, Pakistan's interior minister, Aftab Khan Sherpao, had offered assurances that no one would be allowed to "disrupt peace" - although opposition parties accused the government of condoning the unrest.