Death toll in Pakistan rises to eight

TOLL RISES: The death toll from clashes between supporters and opponents of Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf in Karachi rose to eight, police said Thursday. (AFP)

The death toll from clashes between supporters and opponents of Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf in Karachi has risen to eight, police said Thursday.

Paramilitary troops and police have been deployed to the southern port city, one day after the clashes, the worst violence to hit the country since a new government hostile to key US ally Musharraf won elections in February.

Police said the toll had risen from seven overnight after one of those injured in the clashes died in hospital.

"The driver of a public transport vehicle, who was brought to hospital with a bullet wound, succumb to his injuries late Wednesday

night, raising the death toll to eight," city police chief Niaz Siddiqui told AFP.

Police have said they found the charred bodies of five lawyers, including a woman, inside their burned-out office in a multi-storey

building in the city, while two other victims were shot dead in crossfire between the groups.

Siddiqui said police have arrested three people with weapons, who were allegedly involved in the arson and firing.

"We do not know their identity yet," he said, adding that they are being interrogated.

Siddiqui said police and paramilitary rangers are patrolling the streets "with strict orders to take extreme action against anyone, who tried to damage public property".

The violence erupted when lawyers allied to a pro-Musharraf party, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, said they came under attack from attorneys opposed to the president while protesting against the beating of a former minister also this week.

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