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Protests continued and commercial activities were suspended in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi on Wednesday after Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain was arrested on Tuesday for interrogation in Britain, local media reported.
Roads were deserted as public and private transport remained absent while fuel stations and markets closed.
A large number of MQM workers participated in a sit-in protest that they started on Tuesday evening in the Numaish Chowrangi area of the city.
The emotional protesters vowed to continue with the protest unless they heard Hussain's voice. The leaders of the party, addressing the gathering urged the Pakistani government to ensure the well-being of Hussain.
Earlier on Tuesday, some unknown persons torched five vehicles and fired in the air, injuring a couple of people in different areas of Karachi shortly after police in London arrested Hussain.
Hussain has been living in London after his self-exile in early 1990s and was reportedly under investigation for money laundering worth around 400,000 pounds (670,129 U.S. dollars).
The British consulate in Karachi was also closed and its foreign staff members had reportedly left the city before the arrest.
MQM workers in other cities of the country also staged protests and forced local people to close their markets in protest against the arrest of the MQM chief, the reports said.
Karachi Transport Union said it would review the law and order situation in the city before allowing transport services to be resumed.
All the universities and educational institutions postponed all exams that were scheduled on Wednesday.
Pakistani government led by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif announced that it would support Hussain legally and morally through its consulate in London.
