One killed, seven hurt in Karachi blast

KARACHI: A young man was killed and seven others wounded in a bomb blast at one of Karachi’s busiest streets in the Saddar area on Thursday night.

This was the second major terrorist activity in the city within a three-week period. Earlier, on April 26, four persons, including three Chinese teachers, were killed in a suicide attack at the University of Karachi.

On Thursday, the blast occurred at around 11:20pm on Daudpota Road near Lucky Star in Saddar area when a vehicle of Pakistan Coast Guards was passing by. It is, however, yet to be ascertained whether it was the Coast Guards vehicle that was the target.

Later, outlawed nationalist party the Sindhudesh Revolutionary Army (SRA) claimed the responsibility of the blast through the social media. The blast damaged several cars and shattered windowpanes of nearby buildings. A heavy contingent of law enforcers including police and Rangers reached the blast site and cordoned off the area.

“It was a terrorist incident. The explosion was caused by an IED [improvised explosive device], apparently planted on a bicycle. It went off at 11:20pm,” Zone South’s Deputy Inspector General of Police Sharjeel Kharal briefed the media while sharing the initial details of the incident. He added that it would be premature to say anything exactly about the terrorist group behind the attack.

“So far, I do not think so that any institution or any particular vehicle was the target,” he replied to a question about the speculation that the Pakistan Coast Guards were the target. DIG Kharal said that he also interviewed the driver of the PCG vehicle, who told him that this was not their regular route and the blast occurred when they were returning after dropping an officer. The PCG also denied that their vehicle was the target and stated that it likely became an accidental victim of the blast.

The DIG said that the blast caused damage to vehicles passing through the road, and one was severely damaged. He also confirmed the death of one man identified as 25-year-old Muhammad Umer, son of Sadiq. “Two personnel of the security agency were also among the injured persons,” the DIG confirmed.

Experts from the bomb disposal squad also reached the blast site to collect evidence. According to an initial report prepared by the BDS, it was an IED device, containing ball bearings.Jinnah Postgraduate Medical's Dr Rasool confirmed that seven injured and one body was brought to the hospital. Hospital’s emergency list confirmed that all the victims were male and aged between 17 years to 26 years.