At least 44 people have been killed and over 108 injured during three days of bloody clashes between rival ethnic groups in Pakistan's largest city, Karachi, rescue workers said Thursday, dpa reported.
The on-going violence erupted in the capital of the southern province of Sindh on Tuesday, between the Urdu-speaking majority and the Pashtu-speaking minority, who blame each other for the latest wave of killings.
"The death toll has reached 44 after the killing of 17 people on Thursday," said Faraz Ahmad of the private Edhi ambulance service.
He said 10 people were killed on Tuesday and 17 on Wednesday.
Police said that so far 40 people had been killed.
"But it (the death toll) will certainly rise as we are getting reports of more killings," police spokesman Muhammad Ayub said.
The Urdu-speaking Muttahida Qaumi Movement and the Pashtu Awami National Party (ANP)are competing for political influence in the city, which with a population of over 18 million is the financial hub and chief port of Pakistan.
The latest violence started after the killing of an ANP political activist, Azam Swati, who was gunned down on Tuesday.
The dead include political activists from both parties and ordinary people caught in the crossfire.
In June, 15 people died in clashes that started after the killing of an Urdu activist.