One killed in TV channel office attack in Pakistan

Islamabad, Aug 23 (IANS) At least one person was killed and nine others were injured in Pakistan's Karachi city after activists attacked an office of a TV channel, police said.

At least 2,000 activists of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) stormed the office of ARY TV channel and nearby shops. The MQM blamed the TV channel for not giving proper coverage to its anti-government hunger strike, Xinhua news agency reported on Monday.

TV footage showed MQM angry workers entering the ARY office and destroying equipments and furniture in its office in Karachi.

The ARY Chief Executive Salman Iqbal said that the MQM workers fired inside its office located in Medina Shopping Mall.

According to police officials, MQM party leader Altaf Hussain instigated the incident after speaking to workers over phone from London. Hussain lives in self-imposed exile in Britain.

The MQM is observing hunger strike against the arrest of its workers.

Apart from ARY, other TV channels Samaa and Neo were also attacked by the MQM workers.

Police said that several persons were arrested in connection with the firing in the offices of the TV channels.

Murad Ali Shah, Chief Minister of Sindh visited the ARY office and assured its workers that the culprits will not be spared.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif strongly condemned the attack on ARY, Samaa and Neo offices in Karachi. It is an attack on freedom of Press and expression, the Prime Minister said in a statement.