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| Violent clashes hit Pakistan city | Violent clashes hit Pakistan city |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Rival Pakistani political groups have exchanged gunfire in the streets of Karachi, leaving at least 24 people dead and more than 50 injured. | Rival Pakistani political groups have exchanged gunfire in the streets of Karachi, leaving at least 24 people dead and more than 50 injured. |
| Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, suspended from his job by President Pervez Musharraf, had flown in to address a rally. | Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, suspended from his job by President Pervez Musharraf, had flown in to address a rally. |
| But the violence meant he was unable to leave the airport. | But the violence meant he was unable to leave the airport. |
| Opposition groups blamed the pro-Musharraf MQM party of organising the unrest, but it denies this. | |
| In the worst violence, supporters of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and activists from the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto fought gun battles for an hour. | |
| The private Aaj TV channel showed pictures of its office under fire. | The private Aaj TV channel showed pictures of its office under fire. |
| CHAUDHRY SUSPENSION 9 March: Musharraf suspends Chaudhry for "misuse of authority"16 March: Violence at pro-Chaudhry rally in Islamabad3 April: Chaudhry appears before private session of court6 May: Large rally in support of Chaudhry in Lahore12 May: Violence in Karachi, ahead of planned rally Timeline: Judicial crisis | CHAUDHRY SUSPENSION 9 March: Musharraf suspends Chaudhry for "misuse of authority"16 March: Violence at pro-Chaudhry rally in Islamabad3 April: Chaudhry appears before private session of court6 May: Large rally in support of Chaudhry in Lahore12 May: Violence in Karachi, ahead of planned rally Timeline: Judicial crisis |
| "We are under attack," said journalist Talat Hussain on air, sheltering behind a wall. | "We are under attack," said journalist Talat Hussain on air, sheltering behind a wall. |
| "We have seen no security force. No-one has come to help us." | "We have seen no security force. No-one has come to help us." |
| Reporters from the Associated Press news agency said they saw five bodies lying in the street, four next to a car which had been raked with gunfire. | Reporters from the Associated Press news agency said they saw five bodies lying in the street, four next to a car which had been raked with gunfire. |
| At least 20 vehicles were set on fire in the violence, AP said. | At least 20 vehicles were set on fire in the violence, AP said. |
| "It is state-sponsored terrorism. The Sindh [province] government is responsible but we are not going to back off," said Sherry Rehman of the PPP. | "It is state-sponsored terrorism. The Sindh [province] government is responsible but we are not going to back off," said Sherry Rehman of the PPP. |
| An MQM spokesman denied his party was involved in the violence at the TV station. | An MQM spokesman denied his party was involved in the violence at the TV station. |
| A lawyers' spokesman told the BBC that bar association members in Karachi had been attacked by MQM activists in various parts of the city. | A lawyers' spokesman told the BBC that bar association members in Karachi had been attacked by MQM activists in various parts of the city. |
| "Our colleagues have been brutally attacked while the government has given the MQM a free hand," he said. | "Our colleagues have been brutally attacked while the government has given the MQM a free hand," he said. |
| The Sindh High Court was surrounded by hundreds of MQM political activists. | The Sindh High Court was surrounded by hundreds of MQM political activists. |
| The lawyers say that activists attacked them and prevented them from entering the high court premises where Mr Chaudhry had been due to speak. | The lawyers say that activists attacked them and prevented them from entering the high court premises where Mr Chaudhry had been due to speak. |
| Trapped at airport | |
| Since his suspension on charges of "misuse of authority", Mr Chaudhry has become the focus of widespread opposition to the government of Mr Musharraf, who took power in a coup in 1999. | |
| Mr Chaudhry's supporters say that Mr Musharraf wants the judiciary headed by a lawyer whom he can more easily manipulate. | |
| We are under virtual arrest Munir MalikAdvisor to Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry He flew from Islamabad to Karachi on Saturday morning, planning to address a rally in the city. | |
| But after landing, he was unable to leave the airport, because roads into the city were blocked. | |
| One plan was for him to travel to the city centre by helicopter, but Mr Chaudhry insisted that he should be able to travel by road. | |
| Munir Malik, an advisor travelling with Mr Chaudhry, told the BBC the authorities had tried to arrest Mr Chaudhry when his flight arrived and he was now trapped. | |
| "He is surrounded by his lawyers. We can neither get out of the airport, nor go into the city. So we are under virtual arrest." | |
| Mr Musharraf has ruled out a state of emergency, and appealed to the country to stand united and peaceful. | |
| Mr Musharraf himself is due to address a rally in Islamabad later in the day. |