KARACHI, Pakistan -- Pakistani police say gunmen have opened fire on a congregation of a minority Shiite sect, killing five people and wounding two.

Sindh police chief A. D. Khowaja said the attackers escaped on two motorcycles after shooting people Saturday in a central Karachi neighbourhood.

Khowaja said the attackers used handguns in the attack. Two people were killed on the spot and the others died on the way to the hospital.

Shiites hold congregations to commemorate the centuries-old martyrdom of the grandson of the prophet Muhammad.

No one claimed responsibility for the attack but past attacks on Shiites have been acknowledged by the banned Lashker-e-Jhangvi sectarian group.

Early this month suspects on motorcycles threw a hand grenade on a Shiite mosque killing one person in the same neighbourhood.