The death toll in Karachi violence has raised to 26 due to firing and torture incidents from midnight on Thursday.

Firing continues and bodies are being recovered from different areas of the city. According to the Police, bodies have been recovered from Baldia Town, Lee Market, Sher Shah, Mari Pur, Manghopir,and several other areas.

The bodies recovered bore marks of torture and were riddled with bullets. Police officials say there were small notes recovered from the pockets of the deceased, saying, "want war or peace or should we send more".

On Wednesday former MNA and 15 others were gunned down in different incidents of violence in the economic hub.

According to the police, three bullet-riddled bodies were recovered from Baldia town sector 19. The deceased were kidnapped, tortured and later gunned down. One of the dead is identified as station officer Miran Naka fire station Zafar Farooqui.

The body of the head constable of the Navy Town police station was also recovered who had left to get iftari on Wednesday and not returned.

Four bodies were recovered from the Shershah area, three each from Baldia Town, Kakri Ground and the Garden area.

Two bodies were found in Maripur while one from the Mangoper area.

A body unidentified person was also recovered from Manghopir, while two bodies were recovered from Garden area. A hand grenade was hurled in Ranchor Line area.

Four tortured bodies, stuffed in gunny bags were found from Lyari, and four others were recovered from Shershah area.

A sense of fear prevails throughout the city and that public transport has been suspended.

The killings have continued despite efforts to reconcile its warring political factions.

Security officials say the violence is being used to stoke recently ignited ethnic passions both for political gains and as a means by criminal gangs to fight turf wars behind the facade of political activism.