ISLAMABAD/RAWALPINDI, Dec 30: Violent protests that had paralysed the twin cities of Islamabad-Rawalpindi after Benazir Bhutto’s assassination died down on Sunday, but only after another senseless shooting.

Police said two vigilantes shot and injured a baker in Rawalpindi for opening his shop in defiance of the three-day mourning being observed for the slain leader.

Luckily the baker, Naseer Ahmed, in Bagh Sardaran survived the attack and is lying in stable condition in a hospital.

Though the main markets remained closed in the two cities for the third day, small chemist and grocery shops reopened in some isolated places.

Encouraged by the reopening of some gas and petrol stations in the twin cities, taxis and other public transport ventured out in small numbers as the day progressed.

That the grocers and taxi drivers charged higher than normal rates showed that Thursday’s tragedy which killed Benazir Bhutto and 23 others changed business ethics in the city for the worse.

Police booked at least 200 persons for rioting in Rawalpindi during the past two days. They included two PML-Q activists. The charges against them ranged from attempt to murder to damaging public property.

In Rawalpindi fuel stations remained completely shut. The district administration had asked the duel station owners to start their business assuring them protection but they preferred to keep their business shut.

The first case was registered with the police on the complaint of Assistant Sub-Inspector Mohammad Kausar who said that after the assassination of Ms Bhutto in a shooting-suicide attack, an unruly mob had came out on roads and started ransacking public property.

He said in the FIR that three banks and ATM machines, traffic signals, police posts and several offices were either damaged or set on fire by the angry mob. The angry mob also set ablaze the PML-Q banners and shouted anti-government slogans.

In another FIR Chaudhry Habib and his two nephews were booked for an attempt to murder. The police said the accused, associated with PML-Q, had attacked and shot at two PPP activists, Khyzer Hayat and Rizwan Abbasi, who were going home after offering funeral prayers of one of the Liaquat Bagh victims near Glass Factory Chowk.

Rangers and police staged “flag marches” on the city’s main Murree Road, with the Rangers officer announcing from his loud- speaker fitted jeep that his force had orders to shoot looters at sight.

Their show of force presented a funny contrast to the stick- wielding youths who roamed the streets elsewhere in the city.

Islamabad remained completely calm on the day, except for a few demonstrations in Khanna and Swan outskirts. People mourning Ms Bhutto in the city mostly confined themselves to holding Quran reading sessions for the salvation of her soul.