Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) MPA Syed Manzar Imam and his three security guards were gunned down at Hyderi Chowk in Orangi Town on Thursday.

Tensions mounted in Karachi immediately after the shooting and markets were closed bringing all commercial and non-commercial activities to a grinding halt. Protests erupted and sporadic gunfire was heard as news of the attack spread. Businesses shut early because of the unrest and the authorities said that markets in the city would remain closed on Friday. People rushed home to avoid any potential violent backlash.

Miscreants torched at least five vehicles in different parts of the city following the attack while angry mob resorted to indiscriminate firing in different areas of the city.Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) which dominates the surrounding areas of deceased MPA’s constituency where he came under attack, claimed responsibility for the hit.

TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan, claiming responsibility for the killing, said it was the second targeted attack against the particular political party in Karachi.Police said MQM lawmaker was killed along with three of his guards when gunmen on two motorcycles intercepted his car at Hyderi Chowk, Orangi Town and showered bullets with sophisticated weapons.Manzar Imam, 45, had been associated with MQM Unit 120

The MQM MPA was killed along with three guards when armed assailants on motorcycles opened fire on his vehicle with automatic rifles.Police said the gunmen fled the scene after committing the crime.Eyewitnesses said the MPA along with his guards was passing by Orangi Town’s Hyderi Chowk area when four gunmen on motorcycles opened fire on his white coloured car.

Imam and one of his guards lost their lives on the spot, while the other two injured died on the way to hospital.Imam was elected from the PS-95 Karachi-VII seat, and served as member of the Sindh Assembly’s Standing Committee on Cooperation, Standing Committee on Environment and Alternate Energy and the Standing Committee on Prisons.MQM has announced three-day mourning against the killing of MQM MPA.

Karachi Transport Ittihad, business community and private schools associations have announced their support for a strike on Friday (today) while Karachi University and Federal Urdu University also suspended the examinations scheduled to be held on Friday.Funeral prayers of Manzar and his security guards will be offered at Jinnah Ground, Azizabad after Friday prayers. He will be laid to rest in Shuhada Qabristan located in Yasinabad.Chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari strongly condemning the killing of MQM MPA, in a message, has expressed his shock and grief over the unfortunate incident.

Bilawal conveyed his condolences to the bereaved family, leaders and workers of MQM. He prayed to Allah to rest the departed soul in eternal peace and grant courage to the bereaved family to bear the irreparable loss with courage and fortitude.Agencies add: In a statement, the Coordination Committee, a decision making body of the MQM, announced a three-day mourning with a request to its workers to maintain peace and wear black armbands to protest the killing of the lawmaker.The party said the killing of Imam was a great tragedy as the MQM had been deprived of its active, honest and hardworking MPA.President Asif Ali Zardari has strongly condemned the incident of Manzar Imam’s assassination.

The president, expressing grief and sorrow over this unfortunate incident in Orangi town, has directed the concerned authorities to undertake every effort to bring the culprits to justice.He expressed sympathies with the bereaved families and prayed for eternal peace of the departed souls. The president also prayed to Allah Almighty to give courage to the bereaved families to bear the loss with equanimity and fortitude.

MQM chief Altaf Hussain has also expressed his profound grief and sorrow on the killing of party MPA along with his security guards.In a statement issued here on Thursday, he strongly condemned the killing of Manzar Imam and his guards and said that the cowardly incident was a vicious attempt to destroy peace in the city.He asked the MQM workers and the people not to get provoked on this incident of terrorism and urged them to understand and foil the conspiracy of the elements who want to create a law and order situation in Karachi.

Altaf demanded of the federal and provincial governments and heads of the law-enforcment agencies to take immediate notice of the murder of MPA Manzar Imam and his guards. He said the killers must be brought to justice.He offered heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved families and said that their grief was equally shared and felt by each worker of the MQM.He prayed Almighty Allah to shower His blessings on the departed soul and give courage and patience to the grieving family member.