Anti-corruption protests end in Islamabad as Supreme Court orders arrest of Pakistani prime minister

In Karachi, Pakistan, schools and businesses shut down for several days of mourning following the killing of a lawmaker Thursday. Manza Imam of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, or MQM was gunned down yesterday along with three of his guards, according to AFP. Also today in Islamabad a lead investigator overseeing the probe into corruption charges against Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf was found dead. Police said he was found hanging in his house in Islamabad, according to the Times of India, adding a layer of uncertainty after a week of protests and political upheaval in the country. Monday, the Prime Minister removed a governor in Balochistan after protests over the killing of some 100 Shia in the district. And an estimated 20,000 protesters converged on Islamabad this week to protest corruption and call for reform ahead of upcoming elections. For more on some of these events we’re joined by independent journalist Umar Farooq. He’s written for The Nation and Salon and joins us today from Washington, DC.