17 Killed, 50 Hurt in Pakistan Gun Battles : Asia: Prominent politician among the dead in fighting between rival political factions.

Seven teen people were killed, including a prominent politician, in gun battles between rival political factions in Pakistan’s largest city, police said Friday. Fifty people were wounded.

In a separate clash, Muslim militants demanding the imposition of Islamic law fought with security forces in the hills around the village of Inayat Kili, about 125 miles northwest of Islamabad. There was no immediate word on casualties.

Karachi, a sprawling port city of at least 10 million people, has become increasingly chaotic in recent months as security forces wage almost daily gun battles with political opposition groups. More than 150 people have died over the last five weeks,

Mansoor Ahmed Khan, a leader of the opposition Mohajir Quami Movement, was gunned down Thursday night along with three family members while they were in their car.

As news of the killing spread, numerous sniper attacks were reported throughout central and eastern Karachi, strongholds of the party.

Police said 13 people were killed Thursday evening and four more in attacks Friday morning.

The MQM, which represents mohajirs , or Muslims who migrated from India, is Karachi’s dominant political force. Rival factions within the party battle each other when not fighting security forces. Khan belonged to a small, breakaway group known as MQM (Haqiqi).

The MQM is bitterly opposed to Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto’s government, saying she discriminates against the mohajirs.

The government describes the movement as a terrorist group that uses violence to advance it political aims.