Karachi unrest: Cracker attack at ANP office leaves two dead

Party spokesperson says attack was carried out by TTP militants.

KARACHI: Two Awami National Party (ANP) activists were killed and eight others hurt when a cracker bomb was hurled at their party’s ward office in the Landhi area of Karachi late Sunday night. The attackers also fired bullets at the office.

Witnesses said that the ANP workers were holding routine meetings at the time of the attack. Gunmen riding a motorcycle first tossed a cracker, and then opened fire on the ANP workers. The ward President Afroze Khan and party activist Bakht Hamil Khan were killed. Eight others sustained injuries.



An ANP spokesperson claimed that the attack was carried out by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants, adding that the party had suffered from regular attacks from the militant group in the past. The spokesperson also claimed that the Landhi area in Karachi was a TTP stronghold.

Deputy Inspector General of Police Tahir Naveed said that only one man was killed, while two others were injured.



Naveed said that two men riding a motorcycle had first opened fire on ANP workers, and then tossed a cracker bomb at the office.

The injured were taken to Jinnah Hospital.

The area around the ward office was cordoned off by police and Rangers. Bomb Disposal Squad personnel also reached the site to determine the nature of the explosive device used in the attack.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 22^nd, 2013.