Pakistan troops take control of Karachi after violence

     

Security forces in Pakistan have taken control of parts of its biggest city, Karachi, where at least 100 people have been shot dead last four days.For the first time since violence started on Tuesday,  police commandos are patrolling the city's western neighborhood.

On Friday police were ordered to shoot-on-sight anyone involved in violence.The surge in violence in Pakistan's economic capital is widely blamed on armed gangs linked to rival political and ethnic groups.

On Friday, the city was totally shut down after its main political party, the MQM - which recently resigned from the and  government to join the opposition ranks - called for a day of mourning.

The shutdown, however, did not prevent more deaths.The violence spilled over in other parts of Karachi and more than a dozen people were killed in shootings, hand grenade and rocket attacks.

Karachi, with 18m residents, is not only Pakistan's biggest port city, but also its main commercial and financial hub.