Pakistan Violence Kills 49

The Associated Press reports:

Gunmen opened fire on two bus and waged street battles in Pakistan's largest city Thursday, killing at least 22 people as part of a spate of violence that has claimed 49 lives in three days, officials said.

It was some of the worst strife so far this year in Karachi, a city of 18 million that has long been a hotbed of crime and clashes — much of it linked to ethnic, sectarian and political divisions. Police had no immediate comment on the possible motives for the latest killings.

At least 22 people were killed Thursday, said Sharfuddin Memon, a security adviser for Sindh province, where Karachi is located. Ten of the victims died when gunmen targeted two buses, he said.

Memon said 27 other people were killed in sporadic shootings Tuesday and Wednesday. He feared the toll could go further high as more violence was reported.