国际英语新闻：Ethnic, political violence claims 25 in Pakistan's Karachi

ISLAMABAD, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Political and ethnic violence in port city Karachi, capital of south Pakistan's Sindh province, has claimed 25 lives in two days, said a provincial minister on Sunday.

Dr. Zulfikar Mirza, Home Minister of Sindh province, said police have rounded up scores of suspects from different parts of the city.

Mirza told a press conference in Karachi that mysterious killings are taking place in the city after people were kidnapped and their bodies found in other areas.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik ordered the deployment of paramilitary force in sensitive areas and appealed to all political parties to work for peace.

The incidents of firing increased in the city after the Pashtoon nationalist "Awami National Party" (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 on Sunday.

Police sources said that 14 people were shot dead by unidentified gunmen in different parts of the city. Health officials said that 14 dead bodies and over 40 injured people were brought to the main Abbasi Shaheed hospital. Most of those killed were laborers and car mechanics.

The powerful group of the Urdu-speaking people, Mutahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), blamed ANP and Pakistan People's Party (PPP) for the violence and ANP accused MQM of resorting to firing.

ANP, MQM and PPP are ruling coalition partners in Sindh province.

Police said that firing incidents were reported on Sunday in Banars, Landhi, Organgi, Malir, Baldia Town, Pak Colony, Gushan-e- Iqbal localities in the city.

Gunmen also fired at hotels and buses. Residents said that at least three buses were torched in different parts of the city. A vehicle of Dawn TV News was also reportedly torched. Motorcyclists had been involved in the firing incidents, witnesses said.

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