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2 dead, 15 injured in Karachi blast
The blast, which happened near an imam bargah, was followed by firing incidents in the area.
Pakistanis gather at the site of a bomb blast near an imam bargah in Karachi on Sunday. PHOTO: AFP
KARACHI: Two people were killed and 15 others, including five Rangers, sustained injuries in a blast in the Abbas Town area, located on Abul Hasan Ispahani Road, Karachi, Express News reported on Sunday.
The injured Rangers were deployed in the area for security purposes.
Remote-controlled explosives were planted on a motorcycle outside a milk shop, bordering an electricity pole. The subsequent blast next to the pole led to the power outage in the area. However, power supply has been restored in certain parts of the area.
The bomb was intended to be placed outside the imam bargah, but the area was blocked off.
Following the blast, protesters from the Shia community stormed the area and Rangers engaged them in firing.
Anti Extremist Cell (AEC) Chief Aslam Chaudhry, while speaking to Express News, said security was fool proof in the area and will comment after initial investigation. He said police was collecting evidence from the crime scene. Initial investigation revealed that the number plate on the motorcycle was forged.
The security forces have cordoned off the area, while emergency has been declared in all the hospitals in the city.
The injured, few of whom are in a critical condition, have been taken to the nearby Patel Hospital.
President Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz leaders Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, Awami National Party (ANP) Sindh chapter Chief Senator Shahi Syed and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Rabita Committee have condemned the incident.
The president has asked for an inquiry into the matter.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik has sought report on the blast from the IG Sindh. Additional IG told media that he will request for a ban on riding motorcycle till Ashura.
Reader Comments (28)
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And so it begans!
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Hunting season or holy month?
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Its not first time in Karachi its always happen and our securities agencies and law enforcement forces failed in that kind of Occasions we should bring Army in the city at least 10,000 army man should be in Karachi in Muaharram Because People Never stop to come on Streets and it will happen again and again we should keep them just in the ground or in a hall and now time has come people should understand that all things
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so sad
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:”’( may ALLAH g save pakistan from hands of militants and crooked leaders!
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@Muhammad Jawed
People should nt stop coming to the processions anyway. They are perfectly within their rights to observe a few days every year accoording to their beliefs. And yes, the army should be called. If staying confined to a space could have solved the problem, there have been at least 20times as much deaths in confined areas like mosques and shrines. And we have certainly forgotten the Nishtar Park bomb blast where on 12th Rabi ul Awwal, so many respectable Sunni scholors lost their lives despite being inside a ground.
Confining these processions which ALL muslims love and respect is like the infamous Rehman Malik order saying he wants to ban the bikes. (i think he did nt think about the dangers a stationary bike can pose).LOL, if you can.
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blast then firing, reminds me of Nishtar bomb blast. So all is planned, make people paranoid and phobic that they stop thinking of solutions to their problems. God please help us.
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Sindh High Court (SHC) Chief Justice Mushir Alam on Thursday dismissed Interior Minister Rehman Malik’s orders regarding a ban on motorcycle riding in Karachi
Will the court take responsibility for the tragedy and can they look into the eyes of the families and orphans .
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It is proved from the series of different sort of terrorists incidents that terrorists are more capable and powerful than Police and other law enforcing agencies.
This is some thing going on in Pakistan which seems to be uncontrollable.
The question arises: when the big heads will roll to stop the brutal killings of innocent people of Pakistan.
The civil administration should call the Army to control law and order situation as the civil authorities have failed in controlling the law and order situation.
I do not see any light at the end of the tunnel unless Pakistan Army will take the control of the situation.
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We have our Gaza right here. You would think PTI, JI and others would protest at this with at least the same vigour as they do over events in Gaza.
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may allah save us from takfirri vampires n their masters
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What is the problem with these terrorists??? How come they can claim to be Muslims???
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I witnessed how rangers indiscriminately harassed the mourners following the blast. The took several boys in black cloths on gun-point and started aerial firing.
Shiites should occupy the streets of Pakistan on Ashura to protest Shia genocide.
P.S. a milkman who was martyred is a Sunni Muslim and many other injured are Sunni brothers. Its high time, evil forces are against both the sects.Recommend
Pretty ironic considering the fact that cellular services were blocked the day before precisely to avoid this sort of an incident. Ironically, again, my city gave in to the despicable irony of what used to be called disaster prevention. Hallelujeh.
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@Kanwal:
All this security at whose cost?. Shia community should bear this if they believe attending these gatherings is obligatory for them. The majority of the tax payers believe contrary to this.
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Ban all religious gatherings till the end of Rabi ul Awwal
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If Interior Ministry Blocks the SIMs it is proper and necessary action to prevent the innocent people from Terrorist Dogs... because they use mobile phone technique for blast..
Go ahead Sir Rehman Malik..every sensible Pakistani is with you...
Hamid H Khan
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Protest Gaza strikes first….because Muslims killed by non-Muslim is bigger sin than Muslims killing Muslims…LOL!!!
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@Akshay, India:
Killing of human is same as killing of whole humanity. We condemn of killing any human on earth, we are here to spread peace but some criminals between (agencies or intruders) us killing people for their secret interests. Allah knows when we will be aware of all this.Recommend
The real question is that whether the security agencies in Pakistan are capable to deal this type of terriorist activities. My plain answer is “NO”. Untill we made our inteligence so strong with sophisticated equipments to check these activities abinitio, no one can do nothing. The real situation is that despite all the so called announcement, PTA could not block all SIMS issued on benami persons. The Sindh AG admits in the court that 99% motorcycles in Karachi are unregistered. This is the height of inefficiency of our two agencies I mentioned just for examples. The lack of will alongwith inefficiency is prevailing in all the agencies who have some relation with the maintenance of law and order in Pakistan and especially in Karachi, as no government owns the people of Karachi but everyone is eying on the lands of Karachi. If someone refer my earlier comments on various news items, it is, evident that this secterian problem initiated when Gen Zia allowed mushroom growth of Maderssas in Pakistan without any check on their finances outside the country.
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@Hairaan
I am sure all sects in this country pay enough taxes to cover for the number of religious activities they perform throughout the year together.
Besides, if this is the security that the tax payer money provides, i think everybody should start demanding their taxes back, especially the Ahmadis, the Christians and of course the shias. But most of all, all the Sunnis in this country should be able to reclaim their taxes because its the Sunnis who have lost the more lives throughout the last 10 years. Priority should be given to the KP and Karachi people. Dont forget Balochistan. your argument goes a long way.
But tell me one thing pls: what kind of security personnels shias must hire at their own expenses because this hired security must be more efficient than all the intelligence agencies, armed forces and police of this country combined. GHQ is not safe and Islamabad has been under siege. I dont think that anything from tax payers goes towards security of the majority in this country, let alone the minorities. I think all that money goes to people who have local strategic assets and foreign bank accounts. what do you think?
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@Ather Siddiqui:
How about we put that line in the right context for once. Here’s the partial verse in its correct context.
“We ordained for the Children of Israel that if any one slew a person – unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land – it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people.”
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And it was done by the Tehreek-e-Taalibaan “Pakistan” again, I suppose? Duh, it was the work of our own govt, I say, or perhaps twas the RAW agencies. For of a truth, no Muslim could do that. Muharram or no Muharram. These terrorists/extremists ought to be declared non Muslims and non-Pakistanis.
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@sgrr:
Wrong! Until the government deals with captured terrorists effectively instead of playing the usual “catch and release”, this slaughter will never end! How many terrorists have ever been convicted and executed for treason/murder??? Oops I forgot, that punishment is reserved for those accused of “blasphemy”!!!
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In the last 4-5 years the govt. payed no heed to the rise in terrorism in Karachi and no strong action was taken to eliminate the rising terrorism due to that now they are left with nothing but to block cellphones and ban motorbikes! Everyone in Karachi is suffering as a consequence of horrible governance, these things wont be happening had the govt. nipped it in the bud!
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I cannot conceive the idea that how people from the same country can kill their fellow citizens. As a Muslim country, this is not something we should portray to the world. Islam is a peaceful religion. I do not understand, what is the religion of these terrorists. Who trains them.
But that’s what happen when the government and the people running the country are super corrupt and have no courtesy of their own homeland!!
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@numbersnumbers:
I am unable to understand which thing you are saying wrong, but repeating what I have commented.
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Akshay
You could have made your point without adding that LOL at the end. Please, I hope you would consider that the next time.
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