flown by helicopter to Governor House in Karachi, ostensibly for his own protection, Ahsan claimed.

Police blocked approach roads with containers, tankers and buses, apparently to prevent his supporters from staging a welcome. After spending several hours confined in the airport, Chaudhry abandoned his visit and returned to Islamabad in the evening.

At least eight people died in skirmishes outside the airport, emergency officials told the private Aaj television channel, the premises of which also came under fire for more than five hours with no intervention by authorities.

Four bodies were lying outside the studio, its correspondent said, while a mob burned cars and motorbikes belonging to staff. Aaj has given exhaustive coverage to Chaudhry's stand-off with the authorities but the MQM denied targeting the building.

A lawyers' spokesman told the BBCthat bar association members in Karachi were attacked by MQM activists in various parts of the city.

'Our colleagues have been brutally attacked while the government has given the MQM a free hand,' he said. 'This is the end of rule of law in the country.'

The Sindh High Court was also surrounded by hundreds of MQM activists. The lawyers said that the crowd attacked them and prevented them from entering the court premises where Chaudhry had been due to speak.