KARACHI:
Noman, 11, and 14-year-old Amir saved the city from a massive bomb attack when they discovered a 32-kilogramme parcel in front of Meezan Bank in Gulistan-e-Jauhar, right next to Darus Sehat Hospital.
The two boys, who wash cars for a living, found the bomb at around 11 am on Wednesday and informed the police immediately. It was concealed in a block of cement and was placed ten feet away from a community police post usually manned by at least six police constables and an assistant sub-inspector. The authorities suspect that the bomb was planted on Tuesday.
Contrary to television reports, the bomb had nothing to do with the sports car that was allegedly used by the suspects to hide the bomb.
The investigation
Criminal Investigations Agency (CIA) SSP Raja Umer Khattab said that the beautifully concealed and constructed remote-controlled bomb weighed 32 kilogrammes - out of which 13 kilogrammes was of potassium chloride, an explosive material. “This is the same type of planted bomb that was used in the Pakistan Navy bus attacks in Karsaz and Baldia [in 2011],” he said. “The profile not only matches the unexploded bomb discovered in Baldia, but another one when the Jinnah hospital was bombed a year ago.” The SSP suspects that the same group was involved.
Crime Investigation Department’s Fayyaz Khan said that there was no doubt a major terrorism incident was averted. “Had it exploded it would have wreaked havoc,” he said.
Khan added that they were looking into the possibility of whether the bank robbery that was conducted earlier in the day on Rashid Minhas Road had a connection with the bomb.
Block of cement? No it’s a bomb
According to Noman and Amir, the block of cement was right in front of the bank. “When the baray sahib of the bank arrived in his car and saw his parking space occupied, he asked the guards to push the block to the side,” said Amir. The guard pushed it in front of the red RX8, the boys cleaned every day for Rs10.
The owner of the sports car turned out to be a fourth year medical student at the Liaquat College of Medicine and Dentistry. Saud bin Yusuf said that his car had actually hit the block of cement in the morning. Yusuf went off to class as usual and the boys started to clean the car. “Our sahib asked us to push the block away but as we did, some bits of the block came off,” said Noman. The boys claim that they started to pay attention to the block once another car arrived.
The people in the other car asked Noman and Amir to move the block so that they could park their car. Noman added that when they noticed wires sticking out they went to inform the police at the community centre immediately.
Yusuf was in utter shock when he found out about the incident. He told The Express Tribune that he had nothing to do with it. His father said that it was a miracle that nothing had happened to his son.
The ASI of the community police centre, Tariq Kamran said that the explosion was averted because of police efficiency. However, he had no answer when asked about the role of the two children.
SSP Odho said that the police would investigate how a 32-kilogramme bomb was not discovered earlier, despite being so close to the community centre.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 20th, 2011.
COMMENTS (17)
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Is there any way to get in touch with these boys? Wanted to help them financially... Tribune has my email, please do let me know. Thx!
God bless them and give them a better future, all these innocent street children have good hearts and deserve a lot more than society gives them.
10 feet from a policde post. Were they sleeping when this was being planted? Answer: Yes.
Put some pressure on Govt and they will agree to give these two heroes their due respect and recognition.
Highly agreed with Asif this will encourage other people to be vigilant and come forward to get rid of terrorists.
Strongly agree with Asif, kids should be honor at least with free education till graduation and there family should be financially supported by Govt.
They should be given "doctors" degree
Even if the government doesnt recognize it, Darul sehat hospital and the Meezan Bank administration should reward the boys because they would have faced a disaster had the bomb exploded. You cant expect anything better from the police. The police system is a complete failure and they can only capitalize on such incidents and then claim to be highly effecient.
Should be rewarded by the Bank ,Sindh govt and IG sindh .
Regards, Haris Lodhi
So they cover the faces of criminals but not when it's a couple helpless children who just qualified themselves for an extremist death sentence. Further worsening the safety of them is the publicity it would receive tempting them to send a message that has been heard a million times through harming them. Even how young they are adds to the probability. Not many things can top killing a couple children to reinforce the already common safety concerns as if they will kill some kids, they'll most certainly kill you, too, if you don't fully submit. I'm not even going to make a small attempt at understanding it because I'm quite certain I'll fail miserably.
The two young car-washers save precious human lives and averted destruction of public and private properties.
The government should encourage them by honouring with medals and calling them as hero’s of Karachi. This will increase awareness and it will prompt other car-washers, youngsters and people who will keep an eye in and around their neighbourhoods.
An early recognition by the Governor of Sindh can play an important role to decrease the menace of terrorism in Karachi.
Mister Gilani,
Call these two heroes in and honor and reward and recognize them for their heroism and courage.
The identities of these kids should have been kept secret.
@asif agree
and all day long....police claimed it was thanks to their vigilant eyes that the attack was averted...shameless people!....poor kids!
These kids should be honoured for their discovery. Should be given free education till graduation or at least give them the money which the Govt. would have given to the relatives of the people who'd have died if the bomb had gone off.