A number of areas in Karachi saw bouts of violence on Wednesday. Tyres were burned on roads, unknown men forced shops to close down and there was aerial firing in parts of the city. Public transit was halted as well and within a few hours' time almost no traffic remained on the streets. Television channels reported at least six people were killed since late afternoon.

In Safoora Goth, Mohammad Ali was shot inside his shop by gun-toting men as he resisted the shut down. The men, whom the shopkeepers alleged were affiliated with a political party, shot Ali and sped towards other shops to forcefully shut them down as well.

Ali died on the spot, as people in the surrounding area were too scared to come out to help him according to witnesses. Later shopkeepers gathered to protest on main University Road leading to Safoora Goth.

Tyres were burnt and stones were pelted at cars passing by, forcing many to change their route. Ali's body was kept on a wooden table with an ice slab beside it, as shopkeepers shouted slogans against a political group and asked for justice.

As the day wore on, an Edhi ambulance finally made its way through the blocked road and took Ali's body to a nearby hospital.

– Text and photos by Saher Baloch/Dawn.com