ISLAMABAD, July 8 (KUNA) -- More than eighty-five persons have been killed in four days of bloody violence in Pakistani Southern Karachi port city, which has been continuing unabated since coalition partnership ended into differences and one of the main local parties decided to sit in the opposition benches.

The violence is centered in three main localities of the city, Qasba Colony, Baldia Town and North Nazimabad area. These three localities have a history of bloody clashes between rival ethnic and political parties since Pakistan's independence in 1947.

According to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Karachi police, in four days of bloody clashes and violence, which also included firing on metropolitan passenger buses, more than eighty-five innocent people have been killed and dozens wounded.

On Thursday night, a huge fire erupted in the Ali Garh market. Police said that dozens of shops have been destroyed. However, no casualties were reported. On Friday morning, unknown motorcyclists opened fire at a passenger van in Baldia town, killing two more people and wounding several others including women and children.

President Asif Ali Zardari directed Federal Interior Minister Rahman Malik to immediately proceed to Karachi to coordinate with provincial government on issues relating to law and order and targeted killings in Karachi. The Minister talking to media at Karachi airport Friday morning said that paramilitary force has been called in to maintain law and order situation in the city.

Karachi has a complex history of ethnic violence since 1947, which has grown into political rivalries between the three major political parties, Sindhi-majority Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Muhajir-dominated Mutahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Pashtun-dominated Awami National Party (ANP).

ANP claimed that so far its eleven workers have been killed in target-killing incidents and about 30 others wounded in different areas. MQM, on the other hand, also accused rival political parties of attacking its activists' houses. It in a statement demanded the government call in army to restore peace in the city, as the already deployed Rangers force has failed.

The latest spate of violence is continuing since MQM parted ways with ruling PPP after developing differences on some political issues and decided to sit in the opposition.