From Nasir Habib, For CNN
July 9, 2011 8:07 a.m. EDT

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

     * The clashes involve Urdu-speaking and Pashto-speaking political
parties
     * Violence between supporters of the two parties has caused many
deaths in recent years

(CNN) -- The death toll from ethnic clashes in the Pakistani city of
Karachi this week has reached 88, local police said Saturday.

Naeem Shah, a Karachi police official, reported three deaths on
Saturday, adding to the previous death toll of 85 since Tuesday.

The clashes have been blamed on a bitter rivalry between two political
parties -- the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and the Awami National Party.

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement mostly represents Urdu-speaking people who
migrated to Pakistan from India during partition in 1947, while the
Awami National Party represents Pashto speakers, more of whom are moving
to Karachi from northwest Pakistan in search of jobs.

Violence between supporters of the two parties and other turf wars in
Karachi have killed hundreds in recent years.

CNN's Reza Sayah contributed to this report.

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