KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), a key ally of the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Friday boycotted the provincial assembly meeting and rallied in front of the assembly building to protest against an official clemency for the criminals.

Sources in the PPP said President Asif Ali Zardari, who is in Karachi, has taken notice of the MQM resentments. Provincial chief minister Qaim Ali Shah called on Zardari and briefed him about the MQM resentments.

Zardari, sources said, instructed Shah to address the MQM grievances and resolve the differences in an amicable way.

The government denies that any such notification was issued but the MQM had the copy of the notification that ticked off many most wanted criminals upon whom head-money was announced by the government.

“The government itself announced head-money against those criminals who killed over a dozen police officers when an operation was launched against them,” Faisal Sabzwar, the MQM leader told the media.

The other MQM parliamentarians were chanting slogans condemning the government action and carrying placards denouncing the Lyari gangs.

“They executed 11 of our sympathisers in Sher Shah last year and wrecked havoc in the city by kidnapping for ransom and extortion,” Sabzwari added.

He was referring to an incident in August last when 11 people were gunned down in Sher Shah, a huge market of used spare parts and vehicular and other scraps.

“This notification amounts to ruin the peace of the city and we would not tolerate such unjust, illegal and inhuman act of the government,” he said, adding that the PPP was doing it for the sake of getting ‘few votes’ from Lyari.

Lyari historically been a stronghold and electoral constituency of the PPP but lately the residents alienated from the party after it banned Peoples Peace Committee which represents Lyari residents. MQM blames the leader of the committee harbouring the killings of its workers and sympathisers.

Meanwhile, the Sher Shah market remained closed to mourn the two of the prominent traders who were killed on Thursday. The two men were the president and general secretary of market association and were allegedly killed by extortionists.

The market announced three-day mourning

.

At least five people were also killed in the city on Friday.