Pakistan’s Karachi is considered one of the most dangerous places in the world. Some say the crime is allegedly linked to political parties.
Violence, crime and murder mark the political strife in Pakistan's financial capital Karachi.
Criminal gangs, mafias, extortionists, drug lords, weapons dealers and land grabbers ruthlessly guard their turf, and in some cases are allegedly linked to political parties.
An outgunned and underfunded police force of just 33,000 is in no position to take them on.
One morgue worker says he receives about 30 to 40 bodies in some weeks.
[Meraj Mohsin, Morgue Worker]:
"At times it happens that we are afraid when we are going to a place where there has been a killing or violence has taken place. We are afraid that we may be killed because of the language we speak. We do have that fear sometimes."
Some welcome the army on the streets to clean up the violence.
[Shahi Syed, Senior Official, Awami National Party]:
"We will be happy if the military comes to Karachi. I think the army should, across the board, take control of the arms of the land mafia, the drug mafia, the weapon mafia, and the father of all three, the extortionist mafia. They should take control and see what happens."
In some ways, Karachi raises more troubling questions over Pakistan's stability than the northwest border regions, seen as a global hub for militants.
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Last month, 13 shopkeepers and workers of a scrap market were killed in a single target-shooting incident carried out by a feared outlaw.
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The dominant MQM party and its rival, the ANP party, say some of their workers carry out targeted killings, but without their blessings, and accuse each other of starting them.
Karachi has a long history of ethnic, religious and sectarian violence. Hundreds of targeted killings this year have raised concerns that violence would escalate and create new crises.
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