Pakistan orders troops to shoot rioters

THE Pakistani government yesterday authorised paramilitary troops to shoot anyone involved in serious violence in Karachi, where 37 people have been killed over the past two days, an official said.

On Saturday, 34 people were killed and more than 130 wounded in the country’s worst political street violence in two decades, sparked when Pakistan’s suspended top judge tried to meet supporters in the southern city.

Violence between pro-government and opposition activists eased yesterday but three people were killed in separate incidents and protesters set fire to several shops and cars.