The damaged wall of the mosque where the bomb blast hit. PHOTO: MOHAMMAD NOMAN/EXPRESS
Express News correspondent Nadeem Khan reported that the explosion occurred near an election office of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) where many party workers were present at the time of the explosion. The election office is an old MQM sector office located near the popular food street on Burns Road.
DIG South confirmed that the blast occurred directly outside the Babul Ilm mosque, which is adjacent to the MQM office.
Khan added that the injured were moved to civil hospital for treatment.
The affected area was immediately evacuated and all businesses were promptly closed.
DSP Zameer Abbasi said that between two to three kilogrammes of explosives containing ball bearings were used in the blast.
MQM chief Altaf Hussain and Governor Sindh Dr Ishratul Ebad condemned the incident.
Burns Road is a densely populated area near the main business and trading districts of Karachi.
Later in the evening, MQM claimed that the blast was carried out by militant groups from Punjab.
This blast is the fourth such incident where MQM workers have been targeted in a recent spate of pre-poll violence.
On April 23, a bomb explosion targeting MQM workers near the Peoples Chowrangi in Karachi killed at least three people and injured 30 others.
On April 25, at least five people were killed and eight were wounded in a bomb blast outside an MQM election office in Nusrat Bhutto Colony.
On April 28, twin blasts occurred near an MQM office in Orangi Town, killing at least one man and injuring 23 others.
The Taliban have directly threatened the three main parties in the outgoing government, the Pakistan Peoples Party, the Awami National Party and the MQM, which are often described as secular
Note: This is a developing story and will be updated accordingly.
COMMENTS (31)
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I guess the punjab parties and their followers must be sitting back and enjoying the destruction their right wing idealogues are distributing to the secular people of karachi. Disgusted with this country.
The three victim parties of election violence should make seat adjustment. They only have seen the trailer of what is in store for them. Wake up and do the right thing.
This is by design. All these parties are trying to regain public sympathies by portraying themselves as victims. Its obvious that if you leave a beast alive and don't finish it off. It would come and avenge itself one day or another. Its a pitty that despite TTP maintains her strongholds in Karachi,Quetta and KPK,FATA. Figures are pointed at Punjab. And yet the only operation again ASWJ and SSP is done by no government other than Punjab. Better clean your own backyard before pointing fingers at others.
Who is going to reap political benefit out of this tragic happening?
"DIG South confirmed that the blast occurred directly outside the Babul Ilm mosque,..." This is instructive. This mosque is a "Wahabi" mosque and so it raises some questions: 1) Why would the TTP, itself, "Wahabi" target a "Wahabi" mosque? 2) Why would it not target the MQM office directly as it has declared to target this party? 3) Why was the intensity of this blast much less than other blasts attributed to TTP? And, therefore, was it actually the job of TTP or that was publicized to get the vote of religiously inclined community of that area? (This does not mean that the TTP has not been involved in condemnable threats to life and bomb blasts but the point is all bomb blasts might not be attributable to this terror organization and some entity/entities might use these as a cover for their own acts for supposedly their own good. So whoever are the real culprits must be brought to justice and thorough investigations must take place to find out without fear or favor the actual perpetrators of this heinous crime.)
@zohaib: If you are history students than you have no idea what you have learnt or you are looking at the picture from outsider's specs.
@zohaib: Don't Agree with your comments at all... its Non sense. The Caretaker Govt in sindh consist of ANP, MQM and PPP. and they have 19 ministers in total. Your comment is lame and an excuse. PPP has mastermind their two allies the concept of become shaheed and collect sympathies of people. If anyone who lives in Karachi should have notice that every corner of MQM stronghold or areas have their sitting areas, sector offices and now election offices are place. So whenever there is a blast in nowadays is close to MQM office. Aren't they risking peoples life??? anyone
You reap what you sow..
Thank Allah Almighty that no lives have been reported lost. Inshallah, the injured will recover soon and our prayers for their speedy recovery are with them. Indeed Pakistan is at a defining stage when transition to a civilian government is to take place via elections, and the sooner the political parties group together and take on terrorism, the better for the nation. The brave example of the MQM+PPP+ANP axis is there to emulate and cooperate. However, hypocrisy combined with a selfish design to obstruct the citizens from living their lives is promoting this evil. Where is the condemnation from religious and other political parties when innocent lives are being blown apart in Peshawar, Quetta, and Karachi? Are the citizens of Pakistan not equal before the law or are some racially greater and the others of a lesser class? This is a very serious flaw in their education wherever it has been acquired. The sooner the political parties re-define their political manifestos, the better for the nation. Salams
just for your information, in the picture you can see a mosque which i supposed to pray also damaged and no one notices, Inalillahewa inailahi rajioon.
Since Caretaker Govt has taken office, situation of Law and Order in country is more worsened! There is fear and terror in streets of Karachi in particular and in KPK, BLOCHISTAN too! To bring maximum people to polling stations, one week prior to election day, situation should be peaceful and in full control of Police, rangers, army and secret agencies !
@ Zohaib: Moderate Pakistan ? Start counting from 1947. With each passing year, Pakistan has moved away from moderation. Moderate Pakistan is now a dream of few who can hardly do anything. All moderates will be sidelined. Pakistan is heading towards something no one can comprehend. Pack up if you are truly a moderate.
Sad to hear the news but If you'r calling strike tomorrow MQM. You can't stop me going to work.
Why all these blasts occurs at 9.30 pm PST in Karachi ? Remember all these parties MQM, PPP and ANP are set to lose in upcoming elections.
@zohaib: your comments prove that neither you have read Iqbal nor you understand Jinnah.
It is a very alarming situation.
Who will go out on the election day to vote for the candidates in Karachi, when TTP does not want the voters should cast their votes in favour of PPP, MQM and ANP on May 11, 2013.
Why aouthorities are silent over it.......... Now, it is very obvious that governers party will announce the day of mourning .... without considering the losses which this city will have to bear.............!!
These elections are "moderate" centre left wings vs radicals of Right wings. MQM has openly challenged the extremist mindset either in the face of TTP or LEJ and we will continue to do so no matter if we die in that cause. INSHALLAH we will and we are committed to build a moderate Pakistan, a Pakistan Iqbal dreamt for and Jinnah fought for.
@fus: 20 million u mean......??
@fas. I don't see the problem with the army coming in for a while. What's the big deal if they come and ensure that law and order is maintained, and the city is as safe as it can be? If I am not mistaken, the whole point of the army is to provide national defence. If wide-scale violence, bomb blasts etc. is not a threat to the nation's security, then I don't know what is. Karachi is not Swat... It's worse in a different way. The army monitoring security is not taking away democracy, it's just saving a couple of hundred lives.. jus' sayin'
I hope no karkun will be injured.
I hope all my friends will be save.
Governor should immediately resigned.
Where are law enforcement agencies.Where is the care taker government?. Citizens need to be safe and safety has to be ensured otherwise the government should quit
@ Tipu, and what exactly is Rangers? Karachi is home to 2 million people it is not swat. What do you expect Army to do?
Only Army can tackle with the TTP and no one else.
The sooner Army takes control of the sensitive constituencies it is better.
The way things are happening, it seems to me that in recent view of the terrorist wave, the election schedule to be held on May 11, 2013 are meaningless.
Though the nation has been assured that election would be held on May 11, 2013, the question arises at what cost of human lives the elections would be held in the country.
It will be some thing that the new government after May 11, 2013 will be made after walking over the uncounted dead bodies of the innocent people.
I am very much depressed about the ongoing situation.
May Al-Mighty Allah help us all. Ameen.
On wonders, why cant Karachi be handed over to Army for 10 days? Why is the trio of PPP+MQM+ANP so adamant on this issue? They ruled on this city for 5+ years and gifted us 10000 dead bodies. And now they are united and are against deployment of Army ?