The bomb contained ball bearings, nuts and bolts. PHOTO: FILE
KARACHI: A bomb exploded at a bus stop near the Peoples Chowrangi in Karachi, on Tuesday, killing at least three and injuring 30 others.
Five of the injured were reported to be in critical condition.
The police said the attack was caused by an explosive device planted in flower pots under a poster of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain. When MQM workers discovered that someone had torn the poster, they gathered to inspect. Soon after people started gathering, the explosive device containing ball bearings, nuts and bolts, blew up. At least 30 people were injured and two were killed.
Soon after the explosion, all nearby shops shut down.
Rescue ambulances rushed to the site and shifted the injured to Imam Clinic, Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and Ziauddin Hospital.
Hasan Ali Jaffery, who was among those injured, said that he had stopped near the crowd gathered at the blast site. 10 minutes after, the bomb blew up.
Ex-MPA Sheikh Salahuddin, who has previously contested from that area, said that they were planning their campaign activities when they found out that a poster bearing the picture of Altaf Hussain had been torn. When workers and supporters gathered at the spot, the bomb blew up.
Salahuddin blamed the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and other parties who were trying to break the MQM's vote bank. He also expressed his dissatisfaction with the security arrangements.
Several vehicles near the bomb site were damaged while windows of nearby buildings were also broken by the impact of the blast.
DIG West Zafar Bukhari said that one and a half kilogrammes of explosives were detonated. BDS officials confirmed, adding that the bomb was detonated using a remote-controlled device, while the bomb had been concealed in a plastic container. It left a crater three feet wide a foot deep.
MQM shuts election offices
Soon after the blast on Tuesday, MQM chief Altaf Hussain directed that all of his party’s elections cells to be closed temporarily.
The MQM also announced a day of mourning for Wednesday across Sindh. The party's coordination committee has appealed to traders and transporters to suspend their activities, and raise their voice against rising incidents of terrorism.
COMMENTS (16)
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@Billoo Bhaya: Punjab? quote me when?
@Green Tiger - congratulations on making a clean sweep. If you think that's a free and fair way of doing a clean sweep, then I am really excited about the future of Pakistan :)
@jamshed: Pakistan constitution is not secular. Hence any Pakistani party cannot be secular if they abide by the constitution. I do not state this as any form judgment, merely an observation. Yes, some parties are more left of center and some are more right of center. It is also true that left of center parties (PPP, MQM, ANP) are being targeted by TTP and this is a big deterrent to a free and fair election.
Only P of Pakistan is peaceful :(
@ZZQ: Although I agree with what you say in general but how did you come up with the device being a hand grenade? The report clearly says it was a remotely controlled explosive device.
and Karachi Shut downs again
@opler: {Hope you understand?} Sorry we have no intention of understanding. In fact our tolerance level just keeps rising with every blast and every massacre. Nothing less than total anhiliation will open our eyes. Never mind if it will be too late by then.
@asim: No dude, they are peaceful countries as compared to Pak. In Iraq it were freedom fighters, in afg these are also freedom fighters but here in pak our very idealogy is backfiring and killing us. ! Hope you understand? Pakistan zindabad!
The only real competition during the election will be between three Parties, PTI / PML-Noora / JI.
All the other major parties, be it, PPP, ANP, MQM are all running scared after being targeted. They will not be even able to campaign which is a big plus for PTI.
With Musharraf`s APML firmly down, the establishment will have to back PTI, since they dont like PML anyway. PTI & JI have similar ideologies and by firming up an alliance, PTI has a very good chance to win election.
Am sure PTI will sweep the election and the only worry is PML is very strong in Punjab and rest of Pakistan, Tsunami will sweep the election.
Is pakistan becoming ---- Iraq or afghanistan?
Why only against mohajir??
the fact that only secular parties are tageted really shows that the taliban are in control of whom they want in office.why cant they be stopped?i dont see any other way out unless each and every taliban is killed.releasing them from jails in hopes of an agreement was the dumbest thing ever
RIP.
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What ZZQ said.
While the election is round the corner, if this will keep on happening during election campaign days, what is going to happen on May 11, 2013, the Election Day?
Can't the ECP accept votes through its website after getting it registered online and verification of CNIC cards in favour of the respective candidates, so that voters should stay back at home due to security reasons and in order to save their precious human lives.
Hand granade... typical of Talibans and Liyari gang! All the head money has been withdrawn despite open TV confessions of leaders of gang war leaders and their head Ex interior minister for Sindh.
May Allah SWT have mercy on the innocent.