MULTAN, Dec 28: Violence broke out in Dera Ghazi Khan, Taunsa Sharif, Rajanpur, Multan and Lodhran on Friday when protestors went on rampage while marching on roads in protest against the murder of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson Benazir Bhutto who was killed in Rawalpindi on Thursday. Anger and anti-government emotions are running high in these districts, which are otherwise calm areas.

Amid a complete shutdown, rioters set ablaze a number of bank branches, official buildings and private vehicles in Dera Ghazi Khan. A mob broke into Al-Meezan Bank and Bank Al-Habib offices, smashed windowpanes, gates and furniture and damaged buildings. Some people set ablaze the Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) office and three private vehicles.

A furious mob in Taunsa Sharif burnt the branches of United Bank Limited, National Bank, Bank of Punjab and Khushali Bank, a police station and the TMA office besides trampling the portraits of Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) candidates for the Jan 8 elections. They also burnt a police van parked along the road.

In Rajanpur, rioters burnt a National Database Registration Authority office and the branches of Khushali Bank and Bank of Punjab. In clashes with police, five people were injured when police opened fire on a mob which had attacked Kot Mitthan police station. People also ransacked the offices of a police officer and the district nazim.

PPP worker Ikramul Zaman died of a cardiac attack while four others — Ashiq Buzdar, Khalil Bhatti, Karim Nawaz Korai and Amjad Abbas –- fell unconscious overpowered by the grief before performing the funeral prayers of the late Benazir in Fazilpur. This city also witnessed violence when a mob attacked a police van, the City Police Station and the National Bank branch.

Former prime minister Mir Balakh Sher Mazari, Shaukat Mazari and others performed funeral prayer in Kot Mitthan.

Protestors in Multan burnt tyres and attacked government and private buildings at Delhi Gate, Manzoorabad, Old Shujabad Road, Vehari Road, Nishtar Road, Chowk Kumharanwala, Nawan Shehr Chowk, Dera Adda Chowk, Kalma Chowk and Kutchehry Chowk.

Police used teargas to disperse a demonstration on old Shujabad Road.

Many people in the streets were seen crying while the city wore a deserted look. Authorities increased security around public buildings and residences of PML-Q leaders, including the residence of City District Nazim Faisal Mukhtar.

All private and government institutes remained closed. Bahauddin Zakariya University’s Vice Chancellor Dr Zafarullah announced postponing all papers to be held from Dec 28 to Dec 30. He also postponed the meeting of the university’s selection board to be held on Dec 29 and 30.

In Lodhran, protestors attacked the residence of PML-Q District President Siddiq Baloch and the camp office Pir Rafiuddin, PML-Q candidate for PP-210. The funeral prayer of the Daughter of East will be offered in Lodhran on Saturday (today) while a large number of the mourners thronged the funeral prayer in Dunyapur on Friday.

In Pakpattan, the PPP workers become furious when they saw District Nazim Rao Nasim Hashim, once a Benazir Bhutto’s loyal but now a PML-Q’s man. Workers shouted slogans against Nasim who after offering funeral prayers of the late PPP chairperson, announced that the recitation of the Holy Quran for Ms Bhutto would be held at his residence on Saturday. Viewing anger among the workers, the district nazim has removed PML-Q’s election material from his residence.