168 gunned down in Pakistan's Karachi in Oct.

At least two people including a Crime Investigation Deartment official were killed in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi on Wednesday, bringing the death toll to 168 in separate incidents of target killing during the present month, local media reported. In October, it is estimated that 18 political activists including a student leader were killed in separate incidents of firing across the city. The month of October remained most fatal for the present government's coalition partner, Muttahida Qaumi Movemnet (MQM). According to local media reports, at least 10 MQM activists were killed in separate political motivated attacks in Karachi this month. MQM is the representative of Urdu-speaking immgrants in Karachi. The party is at odds with the activists of Pakhtoon representative political party Awami National Party (ANP) and leading Sindhi representative party Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP). Apart from the killing of MQM activists, six ANP and two PPP activists were also killed in various incidents of gunfire in the city. All the three aforesaid parties are ruling the country as coalition partners but their junior activists in Karachi are in conflict with each other. During October, an estimated 22 people were killed on the basis of religious and sectarian confrontation in the city. Karachi is home to over 13 million people belonging to different sects and religions. The orthodox religious scholars and their followers are targeting each other in the city on the basis of difference in some basic doctrines of the religion. Shia and Sunni are the two major sects whose followers are involved in the never-ending incidents of bloodshed in the city. In October, at least 11 law enforcement personnel including nine policemen and two paramilitary troops were shot dead in separate incidents of target killing across the city. According to local media reports, an estimated 90 policemen have been killed in various incidents of target killing across Karachi since 2012. According to media reports, over 1,800 people have been killed in Karachi since the beginning of this year and most of these killings were due to either sectarian or political confrontation. Schools and business activities were badly affected in the areas where killing frequently happened. The business community has expressed serious concerns over the deterioration of situation in the largest business hub of the country.