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Pakistan lawyers clash in Karachi 'Seven dead' in Karachi violence
(about 3 hours later)
At least six people have been killed and 12 others injured as rival groups of lawyers clashed in the Pakistani city of Karachi, police say. At least seven people have been killed and 12 others injured after rival groups of lawyers clashed in the Pakistani city of Karachi, police say.
They say rioters set fire to at least five vehicles on the main street of the southern port city. They say the clashes soon became full scale riots with offices and cars set alight in parts of the southern city.
Violence broke out when supporters of President Musharraf held a protest against Tuesday's assault on a former cabinet minister by attorneys. Violence initially 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. Sher Afgan Niazi, a former government minister, had been 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. Differing explanations
He said that a stray bullet hit the driver and killed him. Witnesses say the trouble escalated after a rally to support Mr Niazi - staged by lawyers allied to the Karachi-based regional party, the MQM - was attacked by lawyers from other parties.
Police say that another group of people were believed to have been killed when a building collapsed. Police say that MQM supporters in the old part of Karachi retaliated by taking to the streets and torching cars, offices and businesses.
According to reports, a group of lawyers loyal to Karachi-based MQM party clashed with lawyers sympathetic to the ruling Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP). class="" href="/1/hi/world/south_asia/7139357.stm">Pakistan's melting pot
Arsonists set fire to offices of the Malir Bar, the only lawyers' association in the city which is not dominated by MQM loyalists. Police say that five people were killed when rioters set fire to lawyers' chambers in a building adjacent to the city court in downtown Karachi.
They say that those burned to death included a woman.
The BBC's M Ilyas Khan in Karachi says that it is difficult to get a clear and independent picture of what exactly happened during Wednesday's violence because all the parties accused of being involved - the MQM, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) - have put forward differing explanations.
Our correspondent says that it is, however, clear that Karachi is once again tense, following violent clashes between the MQM and other parties last year.
In many areas of the city, shops and businesses closed down after the violence started.In many areas of the city, shops and businesses closed down after the violence started.
Played down Meanwhile, a top Pakistani lawyer has condemned President Musharraf following the attack on Mr Niazi in Lahore on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, a top Pakistani lawyer has condemned President Musharraf following the attack on Mr Niazi on Tuesday. The former minister was surrounded by a group of angry lawyers who jostled him and tried to beat him with their hands and shoes. He was left bruised and shaken.
The former minister was surrounded by a group of angry lawyers who jostled him and tried to beat him with their hands and shoes. Aitzaz Ahsan, the president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, offered to resign after the incident. He was present during the attack and tried to stop Mr Niazi from being harmed.
Mr Niazi was earlier trapped for several hours by the lawyers in an office building in the eastern city of Lahore. On Wednesday, at a press conference in Lahore he played down talk of his resignation and instead called on President Musharraf to go.
Aitzaz Ahsan, the president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, offered to resign after the incident. 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.
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.
This helped to turn Mr Chaudhry - who was finally ousted in November under emergency rule - into a symbol of resistance against the President.
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.
The BBC's Ilyas Khan says these two incidents have embarrassed Pakistan's new coalition government.