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By Amir Ashraf

KARACHI, Jan 15 (Reuters) - At least five members of political parties were shot dead and more than a dozen wounded as Pakistanis voted in by-elections on Wednesday, parties, police and doctors said.

Unidentified gunmen killed at least three supporters of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's opposition party and wounded 10 others as they were going to vote near Nawabshah, about 300 km (180 miles) north of Karachi, police and the party said.

In Karachi itself, other unidentified gunmen shot and killed two members of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (United National Movement) and wounded another in a hit-and-run attack in a central neighbourhood, doctors and party officials said.

Senior MQM official Kanwar Khalid Yunous said "terrorists" had opened fire on the party members with automatic weapons. Police said they were investigating.

In two other incidents in another Karachi neighbourhood, the MQM said three other supporters were shot and wounded in attacks it blamed on Islamic militants.

MQM official Yunous blamed supporters of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal, a right-wing Islamic alliance, for the attacks at a polling station in Karachi's Orangi Town area.

"Armed bearded supporters of the MMA attacked our candidate and his supporters after polling ended," he said. "Our candidate and other officials had to hit the ground to save their lives. But our three workers were wounded."

The MMA denied the charge and accused the MQM of resorting to violence. "They injured three of our workers," said party spokesman Sarfraz Ahmed.

Nisar Khoro, president of Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party in Sindh province, said its supporters were attacked on their way to a polling station to vote for one of the 10 national and 19 provincial assembly seats contested throughout Pakistan.

Syed Kamal Shah, inspector general of Sindh police, confirmed that three people had been killed near Nawabshah.

No groups have claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Election-related violence is common in Pakistan.

Analysts say Wednesday's by-elections will do little to alter the political landscape as pro-government candidates are likely to dominate, thus strengthening the ruling pro-military coalition that came to power after October 10 elections. 

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