How things have changed.... When we overnighted at Karachi back in the early 90s, we had a departure time around 2am, which involved driving through the streets from the crew hotel just after midnight.
It was not uncommon for the two major players to be trading automatic fire on the streets at that hour of the night. However, in those days, they were only interested in shooting each other. So the company fix to keep all us pink-skinned infidels safe was to leave the interior lights in the crew bus on so that both sides could see were were infidels and not fighters of the other side, the theory (which seemed to work then) being that neither side would shoot at a bus they knew was carrying foreigners.
As I said... how things have changed. Today, I suspect each side would be vying to be the ones to take a few infidels as hostages.
Even back then, the same idea didn't apply while airborne - we were instructed to stay above 3500' AGL on approach until clear of the suburbs, as there were frequent reports of bored gunmen of either side taking potshots at passing aircraft.
I suppose we should all be grateful to Michel Kalashnikov for making his Model 47, with its 7.62mm short round, everyman's weapon of choice in that part of the world. If the buggers were still sporting Lee Enfields, we might have had to stay a damn sight higher and might have taken a few hits.
I can recall reading that more than a few RAF pilots died when hit in their aircraft while airborne back in the 1920s and 30s by tribesman firing single shot Lee Enfields at their aircraft. Anyone with an even passing knowledge of ground to air gunnery will tell you that that's seriously good shooting.
Back to the current events in Karachi, I find myself agreeing with John Hill. Those 'rescued' by Pakistani special forces could quite possibly be in more danger than those not under their 'protection'.