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Leading Pakistan lawyer resigns Pakistan lawyers clash in Karachi
(about 5 hours later)
A top Pakistani lawyer has resigned as the head of a lawyers' association after attorneys attacked a former cabinet minister. At least two people have been killed and at 12 others injured people as rival groups of lawyers clashed in the Pakistani city of Karachi, police say.
Aitzaz Ahsan resigned after lawyers joined a crowd to assault former Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sher Afgan Niazi. They say rioters set fire to at least five vehicles on the main street of the southern port city.
Mr Niazi was shaken but unhurt. Violence broke out when supporters of President Musharraf held a protest against Tuesday's assault on a former cabinet minister by attorneys.
Sher Afgan Niazi, a former government minister, was attacked by a mob.
Local police officer Suleman Syed told the AFP news agency that one of those killed was a paramedic from a Karachi hospital who was sitting in his ambulance when it was caught in the crossfire between the two groups.
He said that a stray bullet hit the driver and killed him.
According to reports, a group of lawyers loyal to Karachi-based MQM party clashed with lawyers sympathetic to the ruling Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP).
Arsonists set fire to offices of the Malir Bar, the only lawyers' association in the city which is not dominated by MQM loyalists.
In many areas of the city, shops and businesses closed down after the violence started.
Played down
Meanwhile, a top Pakistani lawyer who had offered to resign on Tuesday has played down the news.
Aitzaz Ahsan resigned as president of the Supreme Court Bar Association on Tuesday, after lawyers joined a crowd of people which surrounded Mr Niazi, jostled him and tried to beat him with their hands and shoes.
Mr Ahsan said he wanted to disassociate himself from the incident.
On Wednesday, at a press conference in Karachi he played down talk of resignation and instead called on President Musharraf to go.
Mr Ahsan successfully defended the then chief justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry last year against an attempt by President Musharraf to fire him.Mr Ahsan successfully defended the then chief justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry last year against an attempt by President Musharraf to fire him.
This helped to turn Mr Chaudhry - who was finally ousted in November under emergency rule - into a symbol of resistance against the President.This helped to turn Mr Chaudhry - who was finally ousted in November under emergency rule - into a symbol of resistance against the President.
Mr Ahsan resigned as president of the Supreme Court Bar Association on Tuesday, after lawyers joined a crowd of people which surrounded Mr Niazi, jostled him and tried to beat him with their hands and shoes.
Mr Ahsan said he wanted to disassociate himself from the incident.
The BBC's Ilyas Khan says that Mr Ahsan tried to prevent the assault, even climbing onto the roof of the ambulance that took Mr Niazi away, in an attempt to stop the vehicle from being attacked.
In a separate incident on Monday, the outgoing Chief Minister of Sindh province, Arbab Rahim, was assaulted by a crowd inside the Sindh assembly, when he went there to take his oath as assembly member.In a separate incident on Monday, the outgoing Chief Minister of Sindh province, Arbab Rahim, was assaulted by a crowd inside the Sindh assembly, when he went there to take his oath as assembly member.
Our correspondent says these two incidents have embarrassed Pakisan's new coalition government. The BBC's Ilyas Khan says these two incidents have embarrassed Pakistan's new coalition government.