Karachi, June 19: Pakistan's biggest city was in the grip of a fresh round of ethnic violence with 10 people found dead today, taking the number of killings in a week to almost 50.
 Police officials said they had recovered bodies of 10 more people who appeared to have been killed in different incidents of target killings and firing.
 "Eight of these victims still have to be identified," a police official said.
 In the last week ethnic-related violence has broken out in some parts of the city with the worst hit being the Orangi town where over 25 persons have been killed.
 The Mutthaida-e-Qaumi Movement which has the highest number of seats in the National Assembly and Sindh Assembly in the province distributed video tapes yesterday showing calls being made in some Masjids in Orangi, with muazzins allegedly urging Pashtuns to rise up against the Urdu-speaking 'mohajirs'.
 The three main coalition partners in the province, the MQM, the Pakistan Peoples Party and the Awami National Party which represents the Pashtuns have set up a joint peace committee in a bid to stop the target killings and violence in various parts of the city.
 The three parties under a joint agreement have also begun a campaign to remove party flags, chalkings and posters from the city in a bid to cool down the temperatures.
 MQM leader, Wasi Jalil said the wave of violence was a bid by some elements to pit the 'Mohajirs' and Pashtuns against each other and give the violence an ethnic colour.
 "But all three parties have agreed that they need to work jointly to defeat these elements". 

Lastupdate on : Sun, 19 Jun 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 19 Jun 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 20 Jun 2011 00:00:00 IST