Imran blames Altaf for Karachi killing

Imran Khan, the leader of Pakistan`s PTI party, has blamed one of his political rivals for the killing of PTI vice-president Zahra Shahid Hussain.

She was shot dead outside her home in Karachi by gunmen on a motorcycle.

On his Twitter feed, Mr Khan said he was holding the leader of Karachi`s dominant MQM party, Altaf Hussain, responsible for her death - a claim the MQM has strongly denied.

It comes as Karachi votes in a partial re-run of Pakistan`s general election.

Police say the motive for Mrs Hussain`s shooting is unclear.
`Warnings`

Mr Khan said Mr Hussain, who is in self-imposed exile in London, had "openly threatened PTI workers and leaders through public broadcasts".

He said he was also holding the British government responsible, as he said he had warned them about Mr Hussain.

Mr Khan tweeted his accusations from his hospital bed, where he is recovering from a back injury sustained during a fall at an election rally in Lahore.

Last week, police in London confirmed they were investigating complaints that Mr Hussain had broken UK laws by issuing threats in a speech he made the day after the vote.

In response to accusations of electoral fraud, he is alleged to have threatened his accusers with violence.

Mr Hussain says that his remarks were taken out of context.

He has lived in the UK since 1991, saying his life would be at risk if he returned to Pakistan.

Sunday`s electoral re-run in Karachi was ordered after Mr Khan`s party accused the MQM of widespread vote-rigging and intimidation.

The MQM - which took most of the seats in Karachi - denies any irregularities and is boycotting the vote.

Security is tight, and correspondents say tensions in Karachi are running high.

Whatever the outcome of the re-run, it will not overturn the result of last week`s vote, in which conservative leader Nawaz Sharif secured an unprecedented third term in power.