HYDERABAD, Dec 28: Troops were called out in several Sindh districts due to escalating violence paralysing civic life on the second day. Ten persons were killed while two dozens injured on Friday in retaliation to the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.

Deaths took places one each in Mirpurkhas, Hyderabad, Badin, Matiari, Tando Allahyar and Khairpur while two each in Jacobabad and Thatta.

Government properties, banks, private vehicles, filling stations, telephone exchanges, etc., remained prime target of miscreants in every district.

Violence went unabated for more than 24 hours in almost every district of upper and lower Sindh, forcing police authorities to call in Army in the city. Arsonists don’t distinguish when it comes to burning government or private properties. The torching spree reduced to ashes number of trailers, oil tankers, trucks, buses and other vehicles in different pockets of the city and on highways.

A young Bhutto lover committed suicide in Doctor’s colony Hyderabad on Friday evening while one PPP activist was killed and four others injured in Saeedabad taluka of Matiari district - the home town of PPP senior vice chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim during firing. Multinational chain of food restaurants were reduced to ashes on Fatima Jinnah road last night.

The bungalow of former Sindh chief minister Dr Arbab Ghulam, who according to his family member had gone on Umra late Thursday night, had been torched in G.M.B. Colony in Qasimabad.

“Before Army’s arrival Rangers had demanded vehicles for mobilising their personnel”, said an official source. It was around 6 pm when army started patrolling in Hyderabad, Badin, Thatta, Dadu, Jamshoro following a formal request from top district police officials. Troops’ deployment was reported at some of the city’s roundabouts as well.

They conducted flag march in Qasimabad, city and other troubled spots of the district. “Curfew has not been clamped in the city but it is certainly in the pipeline”, DPO Imran Shaukat told this correspondent while patrolling city along with troops.

Hyderabad witnessed no change in present volatile situation as acts of arson and vandalism were reported till filing of this report. Shortage of food stocks, milk and other items of daily commodities has hit the citizens badly. Not a single shop was opened in any part. Those staying in different hotels and guest houses are facing food shortage.

The by-pass and Super Highway remained worst affected areas until 4 am in the morning of Friday where thousands of passengers from Karachi were found stranded.

District Nazim Hyderabad Kanwar Naveed Jamil, DPO Imran Shaukat and DCO Aftab Khatri came to their rescue and reached Hyderabad toll plaza. They made a convoy of vehicles to ensure safe entry of buses and vehicles. It was a sorry scene to see elderly women moving on foot on Highway with kids in cold weather. Police vehicles brought some to district headquarters to send them home. Bypass remained blocked with burnt vehicles and those abandoned by drivers. No less than 30 vehicles were burnt. Traffic flow was negligible on the Bypass as thick smoke billowed from smouldering vehicles.

Lights were switched off in different parts. None of Hesco officials were present to attend complaints.

Almost entire city, Latifabad, Qasimabad and rural taluka remained disturbed. Those stuck up left for their homes in the morning on foot.

Qasimabad - one of the worst affected areas - witnessed an exchange of fire between unidentified armed youths and rangers personnel, resulting in injuries to four persons, who were removed to Civil Hospital by Edhi volunteers. They were Mashooq Ali, Ali, Ghulam, Ghulam Mohammad and Adil Ali. Mashooq has been admitted to intensive care unit (ICU). They blamed Rangers for firing on them. Around eight banks have been burnt in Qasimabad Police Station area, alone. Reports indicated miscreants also looted bank lockers after torching them.

It was around 12 am when Rangers personnel started patrolling the city in some areas. Until Friday morning there was hardly any artery of the city that didn’t have a site of smouldering vehicles and in some cases fleets of vehicles were found to be torched. These burnt vehicles included rickshaws, buses, Potohar jeeps, cars, pushcarts, Suzukis, owned by government departments or private persons.

Miscreants burnt office of Taluka Nazim office of Tando Ghulam Hyder Municipal Administration of Tando Mohammad Khan while shops were burnt in Kotri city.

Police authorities requested for Army deployment through PPO Sindh. “Yes we have made a formal request to army authorities to take over Hyderabad region that covers around nine districts” DIG Hyderabad operation Shaukat Shah told Dawn at Hyderabad railway station.

The arsonists tried to set ablaze Sindh Express at Hyderabad railways station that was halted there for well hours 36 hours. They burned some stalls.

“We did not find railway official to seek help”, said Mohammad Waris, who was staying at the station since Thursday night after reaching here from Lahore along with his family.

A stall vendor Qadeer complained that he lost material of Rs0.3 million from his stall in vandalism. Activists of Mutahedda Qaumi Movement shifted women and children to nearby mosques and seminaries and arranged food for them.

The condition of two PPP activists Ahmed Ali and Abdul Kareem Memon, who were injured in Tando Allahayr city on Thursday evening in firing by a bank guard remained critical in intensive care unit (ICU). One Ehsan Ali son of Asghar Ali, who was injured in road accident on Tando Allahyar city during stampede after Benazir Bhutto’s assassination news, succumbed to his injuries on Friday.

Like rest of the government departments, the Civil Hospital Hyderabad was hit by shortage of doctors and paramedics. According to Ehsan Ali’s brother-in-law Shahnawaz also died due to it.

Miscreants burnt sleepers of railway track near Hyderabad railway station. They also burnt vehicles in the parking area of director general health services Sindh. Office, computers and other records of Executive District Officer (EDO) education were set ablaze in Hirabad on Friday evening by outlaws.

One Imam Bux Kaka son of Ilyas Kaka breathed his last in Civil Hospital while five others including Sher Ali Kaka, Waris Kori, Ishaq Kaka, Samiullah Jamali and Ejaz Khan were injured in Saeedabad taluka of Matiari district in firing allegedly by activist of PML-F Bachal Shah, said a PPP leader Ali Mohammad Shah from Matiari district. He said Bachal Shah had reacted to torching of portraits of Pir Pagara.

Several hundreds of passengers of different trains remained stranded at different railway junctions and railway stations. Around 1000 passengers of Karachi bound Awam Express remained stranded near Jalal Mari between Shahdadpur and Tando Adam railway station

Funeral prayers of Benazir Bhutto in absentia were offered in Saddar and near Haji Shah Bukhari Dargah by PPP activists. Rangers personnel beat up PPP activists Kaleem Khanzada, Majeed Malik (both were handed over to Baldia police subsequently) and Ehsan Abro in Civil Hospital following a controversy.

Miscreants burnt over 40 vehicles that in an attack on Shalimar Gardens, owned by former MPA of Tando Allahyar and ex-Sindh revenue minister Dr.Irfan Gul Magsi. The vehicles included vans and trucks that were hired by Magsi for January 8 elections as he is contesting elections from PS-52 and his sister from NA-223.

Two persons were injured on Tando Allahyar-Chambar road in Tando Allahyar district when an oil tanker was torched. They set ablaze Rashidabad Railway Station, DDO Revenue Office, excise office and hospital in Rashidabad, government buildings, PTV boosters on Tando Adam road. Taluka Council Jhando Mari and Chambar were torched while a petrol pump was set alight near Pir Kathi. Police was deployed to protect district council. They tear gassed attackers and three policemen were injured when mob hurled stones.

Thousands of mourners held a protest rally in Matiari at Oderolal station where enraged activists set ablaze railway station, railway track, post office, MCB and ransacked different government offices. A petrol pump belonging to former federal minister, Liaquat Ali Jatoi, near Khyber was torched and four trailers were burnt at petrol pump. Miscreants set ablaze 12 vehicles on national highway near Matiari where Rangers have started patrolling highway and roads in convoys.

Angry protesters set ablaze district council building of Tando Muhammad Khan, post office, railway station, civil court, MCB, UBL, ABL and ZTBL. The mob attacked police lines while protesters resorted to aerial firing.

Around 20 shops have been burnt in bazaar of Kotri city while a post office was torched in Site area of Kotri. Miscreants set ablaze book bank of central library and digital library, containing 100 computers in Sindh University.

The seminar library of English department was set ablaze while 40 point buses of university were damaged. The university petrol pump was torched.

The outlaws attacked Sindh Textbook Board, inflicting huge losses. A huge mob which had its own axes to grind attacked a multinational pharmaceutical company - Novartis, destroyed its machinery and medicines and torched 14 vans, four buses and 10 cars. The company suffered losses of tens of millions of rupees in machinery, medicines and vehicles. Miscreants besieged company on Thursday night and held over 500 employees including women hostages, who had to pass night in factory. The miscreants, according to insiders, told managerial staff that this was a punishment to multinational company for not giving jobs to local people.

Taluka nazim office and a bus were set on fire in Pithoro, district Umerkot. One Faqir Razi Rajar sustained bullet injuries in firing in Umerkot while in Bachao Band three persons Ali Asghar, Pappu Khaskheli and an unidentified person were injured.

In Mithi, two air-conditioned coaches were set on fire after ransacking. In Nagarparkar, 11 persons were injured in police firing. One bank, a van were torched. Police baton charged protesters. In Chhore, Met office, post office, railway station, town committee office was ransacked. In Kunri, two shops were set ablaze while one Ali Sher sustained injuries.

Niaz Mohammad Khan from Sanghar reported that the district was paralysed to mourn death of Benazir Bhutto. All markets, shops and business centres remained closed. It is pertinent to mention here that this is the first time during last 12 years that people observed strike. In Jhol, protesters burnt post office while police post at Bago Wadadari was also torched. A petrol pump of taluka nazim Khipro, Haji Khuda Bux Dars (PML-F) in Khipro was set ablaze whereas at Nauabad, MCB branch was burnt.

Shahdadpur, Shahpur Chakar, Khipro, Tando Adam, Jhol, Maqsoodo, Lundo and Sarhari towns also remained closed. Roads wore deserted look. The mob also attacked Tando Adam railway station and communication system was damaged.

Election office of MQM and PML-F candidate Jam Mashooq Ali was ransacked in Tando Adam where Rangers have started patrolling. In Bhit Bhaiti town, two persons - Feroze and Leelo Kolhi were injured in firing. SHO Khipro and policemen were forcibly disembarked from police mobile and vehicle was set ablaze.

Telephone exchange, town committee office were also burnt. The protesters also set on fire a utility store in Perumal after looting it. Police fired on the mob as result Mahesh Kumar was injured who was rushed to hospital.

Telephone exchanges of Rawtiani, Lundo, Sarhari and Khadro were ransacked and burnt by angry mobs. Portraits of Pir Pagaro in Khipro and Tando Adam were also burnt. Ghaibana Nimaz-e-Janaza was offered in Bobby, Tando Adam and Sanghar.

Iqbal Khwaja from Thatta reported that angry protesters blew up main railway track and set on fire Jhampir railway station. Till the filing of this report, sources claimed that Zakaria express is still stranded near Jhampir.

An angry mob set fire to four factories. Al Abbas Gas Factory, Indus Jute Mills, OK Oil Mills and Anwer Textile Mills were set ablaze.

Reports said that angry protesters used a bulldozer to demolish some parts of the factories.

The protesters also set fire to twenty shops in a shopping mall.

The union council office of Dhabejee was also destroyed.

In Thatta, Ghulam Hyder Samoon, Esso Kumbhar and Lal Khan were injured as Rangers opened fire on protesting youth. The mob set on fire 12 vehicles including over half a dozen police mobiles.

The activists broke open lockups of Thatta sub-jail providing an opportunity to more than 25 under trial prisoners to escape. The police guards exchanged fire with mob but failed to prevent escaping prisoners.

In Chuhar Jamali, two PPP activists a Pathan and a Jaru by caste were killed during an exchange of fire with police. A mob attacked Mirpur Sakro police station resulting in injuries to three police constables. One of them was identified as Amir Bux Khoso. The mob set ablaze the police station and its adjacent irrigation office.

The mob set on fire DCO office, district nazim office, circuit house, NBP, MCB, UBL, HBL branches, PTCL main carrier, utility store, and a number of private properties in Thatta and Makli. Over two dozens activists were injured in different incidents. All the NBP branches were damaged and set on fire throughout the nine talukas of the district.

Thatta town remained a battle field the entire day and no traffic was allowed to ply. Tension prevailed in the district and Ghaibana Nimaz-e-Janaza was offered in Thatta, Mirpur Bathoro Mirpur Sakro, Gharo, Jhoke Sharif and other towns of the district.Abdul Aziz from Naushahro Feroze reported on cell phone that all the telephone exchanges in Naushahro Feroze, Moro, Lakha road, Bhirya road, Khan Wahan and Kotri Kabir have been set ablaze by the miscreants and the entire communication system has been destroyed.

The offices of DCO and all EDOs, district nazim office, treasury office, Nadra office, mono-technical college, Hesco offices, SSGC office, public health engineering office, agriculture office, taluka council, government Madressah high school, seven scheduled banks including ZTBL, National Savings Centre and post office were set ablaze by the miscreants not necessarily PPP activists.

The unruly mob also attacked the district food godown where 6,000 bags of wheat were stored and looted the wheat bags. Thirty shops were set ablaze and looted. An arms and ammunition shop was also looted.

More than 50 trailers and oil tankers were torched on Moro national highway. The courts of additional sessions judge, judicial magistrate, senior civil judge and civil judge, 100 shops, MQM office, post office, mukhtiarkar office and all banks in Moro were also torched.

In Kandiaro, 200 shops, UC office, motorway police office with seven vehicles were torched. In Lakha road, the remaining four bogies of the Karachi express, which had met with an accident a few days back, a goods train, two railway engines, railway station and telephone exchange were put to torch.

In Halani, a police picket, a Khairpur university bus, post office and UC office were put to torch. In Kotri Kabir, UBL and an excise post were burnt. In Bhirya road, MCB, telephone exchange and UC office while in Mithiani, a petrol pump were torched.Reports said that all the shops, which were looted and burnt in Naushahro Feroze and Moro, belonged to Urdu and Punjabi speaking people. In Kandiaro, 15 trucks and trailers were set ablaze.

Qurban Ali Khushik from Dadu reported on his cell phone that hundreds of PPP workers staged a sit-in on Dadu-Larkana road and blocked the road for several hours. The rally was fired upon from the roof of the house that reportedly belonged to a relative of Jatois. The PPP activists hurled stones and those who had fired upon the rally later left their house.

Telephone exchange, Hesco offices, courts, DCO and mukhtiarkar offices, circuit house and gymkhana were set ablaze by the miscreants, who also attacked an arms and ammunition shop and escaped with scores of weapons.

In Sehwan, the mob burnt NBP and UBL and two petrol pumps, one of which belonged to the brother-in-law of Liaquat Ali Jatoi, Chakar Khan Shahani. The miscreants also ransacked more than 50 shops and looted goods valued at tens of thousands of rupees.Zulfiqar Memon from Nawabshah reported that at least seven persons - Hassan, Hasaam, Naseer, Malik, Ahmed Ali, Ali Raza Khoso, Arman Ahmed and an unidentified were injured in violence incidents.

Shah Rukn-e-Alam Express and a goods train were set ablaze in Daur. The goods train was also carrying two army trucks. Hazara Express train was set ablaze in Sarhari. Taluka municipal office, four banks, Hesco, irrigation and mukhtiarkar offices were burnt by the mob.

In Bandhi, Nadra office, PTCL exchange, post office and a bank were set on fire. In Buchheri, railway station, police station, boys school, phone exchange and union council office were torched. Mob also attacked Gupchani, but police staff escaped.

In Sakrand, five banks, post office were set on fire and MQM office was ransacked. Mob attacked sub-jail Sakrand giving access to escape to seven under trial prisoners.

In Doulatpur, two banks, taluka nazim office, utility store, civil judge court building, DDO, mukhtiarkar, union council, Hesco offices, post office, phone exchange and rural health centre were torched by the unruly mob. A jeep of ZTBL was also burnt. Rangers have been called out and were patrolling in the city.

Optical fibre cable was damaged which resulted into suspension of service of v-wireless phone and NTC numbers.

Mansoor Mirani from Khairpur reports that a large number of protesters uprooted about 100 feet railway track in Khanpur and broke railway signals near railway crossing Luqman. The protesters also damaged 16 bogies of goods train standing at Khairpur railway station.

The unruly mob set ablaze the office and residence of district nazim. Enraged youths also attacked and ransacked the Otaq of PML-F local leader Abdul Majeed Arain and his brother, UC nazim Luqman, Munir Arain. Some vehicles parked there were also torched. At the gate of Otaq, PPP activist Khadim Soomro was killed in the firing while Munawar Mirjat was injured.

Barrage mukhtiarkar office and deputy director agriculture office were torched in Khairpur. ZTBL Khairpur branch was also set ablaze.

In Ranipur, mob torched branches of banks, utility, store and also damaged railway station Ranipur. Government offices and some private shops were torched in Pakka Chang. A point bus of Shah Latif University Khairpur was set ablaze in Thari Mirwah.

Khairpur and other main towns of the district remained closed. National highway, district and link roads wore deserted look as no transport was plying. Some trailers were burnt in Ranipur.

Ghanshamdas from Jacobabad reports that two persons were killed in Thul in violence incidents. They were identified as Suleman Selro and Qamaruddin Shaikh.

Mob burnt Madadgar 15 police post, post office, excise office, railway station, micro finance bank, anti-corruption office, ABL, telephone office, Hesco office, Askari bank, NBP, session court, civil court, zila nazim secretariat, PIA office, MCB, UBL, Gadai library, city police station.

The protesters also burnt and looted about 100 shops, ten luggage bogies. Police were nowhere to be seen. Ten vehicles were also burnt in protests.

Qamaruddin from Mirpurkhas reports that a 12-year-old child was killed and over one dozen other persons were injured in different incidents of violence. About 100 private and government vehicles were torched and over 100 shops were looted and set on fire while dozens of government and private properties were damaged and set on fire by unruly mob.

Report said that city was in grip of harassment and traffic were missing from the streets and roads. All the markets and bazaars remained closed. Rangers have started patrolling. The rangers exchanged fire with miscreants in Hameedpura colony, the vehicle of SP investigation was fired at in Hirabad area.

Some miscreants damaged the railway track between Mirpurkhas and Khokhropar near Dhoronaro as result train service between Mirpurkhas and Khokhropar was also suspended.

One Shah Baig was killed when he was scaling wall of police station and the police opened fire. A case has been registered against two police officials. Over one dozen people were taken into custody by police.

On Friday morning, the people from rural areas started pouring in the city and protesting.

NBP, HBL, cooperative bank, two petrol pumps, over one dozen vehicles including police mobiles were set on fire. The mob ransacked the election office, district nazim office and irrigation office and set on fire taluka nazim office, police post, agriculture office.

In Kadhan, police mobile and a bank were torched, while a bank was set ablaze in Dumbalo. In Kario Ghanwar, two filling stations and banks were set ablaze. Exchange of fire took place when mob attacked bungalows of former Sindh minister, Ali Bux Shah and PML leader Sher Jamali.

Incidents of arsons and vandalism were also reported from Khor wah, Matli and other towns. Army have started patrolling. Rangers and police have set-up pickets at main points in the city and were warning citizens to remain inside.