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Add an EventPakistan: Violent state repression of protests over Bhutto assassination
Press reports Sunday said the death toll from rioting was at least 44, but failed to provide a breakdown as to the number of persons who died at the hands of the police and military.
The rioters targeted business and symbols of the government, including government buildings, police posts, railway stations and election commission offices, as well as the offices and homes of politicians associated with the Pakistan Muslim League (Q), the military-sponsored, pro-Musharraf party.
Although Bhutto was participating in the national and provincial assembly elections scheduled for January 8, she had repeatedly accused the Musharraf regime of preparing to rig the elections and had pointed to a vast number of irregularities. She had complained that the local government bodies charged with supervising the elections remain in the hands of toadies of the military regime.
Read More"Rangers were given the authority to shoot at rioters, and some of the wounded in Karachi said the paramilitary troops fired without provocation.
"Najib Ullah, 13, said he was among 15 boys playing cricket in the street when he was hit by a ranger bullet. He said he saw other boys falling to the ground, apparently after being shot."
The Pakistani military also belongs to Northern Areas while those getting shot are Sindhis, the ethnic group Ms. Bhutto belonged to. Sindhis are predominantly sufi, known for their pacifism. They constitute 25% of population but about 0% of the military and paramilitary groups.
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