Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Death toll from Pakistan ethnic, political violence reach 53

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, Oct 20, IRNA -- Death from political and ethnic violence in the Pakistani southern port city Karachi reaches 53 in a week, police sources said Tuesday.

Police said that more than 80 people were also injured in incidents of firing in Karachi, the capital of Sindh province and the country’s commercial center.

There is no respite in the violence despite the visit to the city by Interior Minister Rehman Malik, who met leaders of the powerful Mutahida Qaumi Movement or MQM, the coalition partner of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), which blames the PPP for the violence.

MQM says its activists are targeted in attacks by gunmen allegedly supported by the PPP and other Pashtoon nationalist group Awami National Party (ANP). Both deny the charges.

The incidents of firing increased in the city after the ANP on Saturday announced boycott of the by-election on a provincial assembly seat in the city.

ANP Chief Shahi Syed said his party announced the boycott after the government did not accept its demand for deployment of troops in the city for polling.

MQM, ANP and PPP are ruling coalition partners in Sindh province and the center but all have not successful to check the violence.

Target killing is almost a daily phenomenon in Karachi, where live different ethnic groups.

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Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 30029582