Officials gather outside a liquor store on Khayaban-e-Muslim after a blast. PHOTO: MOHAMMMAD NOMAN/EXPRESS
The first of the blasts occurred in Defence Housing Authority (DHA) when a bike parked outside a wine store near the Cineplex Cinema on Sea View, exploded as a result of a small improvised device blowing up. At least one person received minor injuries as a result of the blast.
Bomb disposal squad after their initial investigations said that the first explosion was powerful and suggested that it could have been planted at the spot prior to explosion.
Soon after, another explosive device blew up near another liquor store, located on Khayaban-e-Rahat. The store is reportedly licensed out to Shaheen Corporation.
As police responded to the attacks to cordon off the blast site, they saw and arrested at least three suspicious person. These people were shifted to undisclosed locations for questioning.
While law enforcement and emergency services were responding to the blasts in DHA a third improvised explosive device (cracker) exploded outside JB wine shop in Gulshan-e-Iqbal. The store is located near the Moti Mahal bus stop, and is located almost 23 kilometers away from the blast sites in DHA.
A fourth blast was also reported outside a wine store located near Cafe Clifton.
The damage was limited as the stores were closed on account of Ramazan.
The bomb disposal squad has been dispatched to the sites to determine the exact cause of the explosion.
“It seems that the blasts were carried out by the same group,” City Police Chief Ghulam Qadir Thebu told media during his visit to the blasts sites in DHA. “Apparently, timer devices containing around 200 grammes of explosives were used in the blasts. Investigators are trying to ascertain the motive behind the attacks.”
While the police has yet to offer any explanation on the possible motives behind the attacks, Express News correspondent Nadeem Ahmed said that the shop owners had been receiving demands to pay extortion money and that the the explosions could possibly linked to the threats.
There was no immediate report of any casualty.
COMMENTS (48)
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@Farhan:
are you serious? what i choose to do with my body, and what i choose to consume is MY choice. The TTP can't go around bombing people in the same way i cannot go around forcing people to drink.
if the TTP want to blow themselves up in the confines of a safe space, and while not harming anyone else, then they are more than free to do so. In fact, i pray to god they would do just that.
what you say is not logical AT ALL. How can you be so obtuse? How can you even contemplate such subversive thoughts?
@omz: same law applies to TTP... They don't need your permission or advise on whether they will allow you to walk the path of your choice or they will kill you... It is all their choice. Logical isn't ?
I think these blasts were done to identify the wine suppliers location to our needy people so that they can start consuming after Ramazan. Not a big deal. Now everyone knows where to get it from.
@I am a Khan: I live and work in the UAE,a strict Islamic country.Wine shops are open during Ramadan.In fact the maximum sale of alcohol is during the month of Ramadan.One reason is that we work only six hours daily.Bars are closed for the duration of Ramadan.Dubai Duty Free sells alcohol 365 days of the year.There are no major floods or any natural disasters so far in the UAE.May be the cause of floods in Pakistan is because God is not pleased with the way you treat the minorities
The interesting news is that the Police have tighten the securities of wine shops in Karachi after these blasts. Hats off to them for this blessed work :).
@ijaz ahmed:
The society of pakistan became intolerant 66 years back, now these are just out come of the result.
@I am a Khan: I couldn't help myself write a 2nd reply to your comment. Dude, floods come because of poor town planning/execution, corrupt politicians and workers et cetera. Japanese are Non-Muslims of course and their land is prone to natural disasters (and I mean real natural disasters, not man-made like ours). Yet, over the course of time they have made sure their infrastructure and public are largely protected from these disasters. By your logic, their race should have disappeared off the face the earth by now. Why is Allah so kind to them despite them being Non-Muslims? Answer: They plan their towns better and do their job. We don't do anything and then blame it on alcohol and God's wrath. My advice to you, please get your head out of the sand it has been stuck in and grow up a little.
@Farhan:
he doesnt NEED anyones permission. this is HIS choice. who are you to say otherwise?
@I am a Khan:
please take your religious dogma somewhere else and let people live they want to live. there are minorities in Pakistan who can consume alcohol as per their religious beliefs. it's the same in other more 'Islamic' republics like the the UAE. Even if a Muslim wants to drink that his RIGHT and his CHOICE. who are you to interfere? And it's appalling that you are trying to justify an act of terrorism for ANY reason.
@I am a Khan: Islamic countries like Malaysia and Indonesia allow the sale of alcohol (to Non-Muslims), not to mention even very strict Islamic countries like UAE, and Saudi Arabia allow sale of alcohol (to Non-Muslims) and they are clearly doing better than us! Floods come because we don't plan our towns, cities right. It rains much more in other Non-Muslim countries where they drink a lot but clearly don't suffer like us. What does that tell you? Please don't equate our failings to God-sent disasters. God is kind, we are just incompetent and want to hide our incompetency in the name of religion.
Hmm in the same city 11 people died in Lyari in a bomb blast in a playground out of which 8 were kids. That news story just has 5 comments and this one has 37 comments. The priorities are pretty clear.
Maybe they were using explosives to get into the wines shops. We should not jump to conclusions.
I heard on a tv show few days ago someone said "why talban always attack Musjids Imam bargahs, shrines mazars etc, why not attack what talibal consider bad (burai) ?
@I am a Khan:
While the whole world is still recovering from your Zaid Hamid's accusation that India caused flood....
Now you have finally found out the root cause,yes its the presence of Wine shops.....Thanks for your brilliant analysis....
If you write this as a thesis and submit it to the concerned authorities in Stockholm,you could be the first Muslim Nobel laureate in the field of Science (Anyway Abdus Salam wont be a muslim according to you)
@Alann: Thank you for saying this. Spot on the discussion. Devastating current affairs. I dread to find where we are being led to. How can we fix this mess if we can fix it at all.
The CM and IG Police should resign.He has failed to provide security to citizens.If in high economical area of Defence Housing Authority multiple blasts take place, then who is the provincial government protecting?>
@I am a Khan: Ah so all the floods are because of wine shops? I thought it was because of rain.
Honest advice Leave Pakistan which ever way possible Before its too late and please no stupid replies its the writing g on the wall
This may be a signal to those who on Chand raat rush to the wine shops. It would not be wrong to say that the rush outside wine ships on chand raat is similar to that of a CNG station that opens up after closure of a day or two.
@I am a Khan: If you dont wanna drink dont- but dont you dare tell us rest what to do. Thank You. We dont need more Talibans than we have.
@I am a Khan: I am sorry, I could not resist replying to your comment. Because it infuriated me. Why should wine shops be closed? Firstly it is not your concern who consumes the product - if you dont want to,then dont. And secondly even if you must butt into the lives of every Muslim,then at least as a Pakistani you should recognize that non-muslims exist in our society and are as much if not more of a Pakistani as you and I are. Why should they not have access to alcohol? Just because we are a backward,ignorant and irrational group of people? Pakistan was not an Islamic Republic when it was founded and its constitution was not meant to be based on Islam. Thats only a gift that Zia-ul-haq has left us.
@I am a Khan:
Who said wine shops are not legal in Pakistan? There are approved liquor stores in Karachi and other parts from Pakistan from which non-Muslims are allowed to purchase alcohol with permits. So yes, Pakistan is the type of Islamic Republic that does allow it. If you have a problem, move to Saudi Arabia where the laws may be more to your liking and live your dream life there as a third class 'rafiq'.
I find it fascinating to see the two different philosophies within Pakistan society indicated by the comments here...one group wants everyone to follow strict Islamic beliefs regardless of their chosen religion....and the other thinks each person can decide for themselves which style of life and religion to have....clearly intolerance for different lifestyles is not universally popular in Pakistan and probably is one reason for so much violent disagreement,,,
Very sad incident. Hope whole inventory is safe, otherwise Eid celebrations would be spoiled.
@I am a Khan: Wine shops are normally closed throughout Ramazan. They are permitted to sell alcohol to non-muslims, so their existence is 100% legal. These attacks on non-muslim businesses are disgusting.
Definitely not the work of TTP, they bomb schools, mosques & market places......they are not party to this utterly disgraceful act !
God Please Keep My Bootlegger Safe Amen
@I am a Khan: First of all, we shouldn't even be an Islamic Republic since all our problems started stemming after this action had taken place. Secondly, we are catering to the needs of the minorities as well. And Islam clearly states "Lakum deena kum waliyadeen." So let there be wine shops. What's it to you?
intolerant ways won't persuade the drinkers to quit wine etc, only good character and manners can win their hearts. But terrorists are brain less people who can not understand such basic things.
@ I am a Khan: It says in the article wine shops were closed due to Ramzan!
This is the bhatta mafia for sure, the terrorists would have caused serious fatalities and larger blasts. They must be really going crazy, as no bhatta from wine stores since they are closed during Ramzan. They should have taken one month advance or kept a security deposit. LOL!! The cost of doing business in this city..UGLY! Public, Govt, Law enforcement helpless!!
@ijaz ahmed: "Are we becoming so intolerant society?" yes Ijaz, we have been effected by deadly HOLY VIRUS, carrier of that was "Moun Bholaa Abbaa Ji "of Nawaz Sharif.
Wineshops ka kya kasoor? At least let us buy our drinks in peace in this depressing land of savages.
@Aftab Kenneth Wilson: who daily have a sip or two of this Holy Water (If one drinks he starts speaking truth and that also in English" ONLY in English :-) ? and if one does not know English, then do they start singing in Arabis :-)) While best GHAZALS were written by by Muslims under the influence of this HOLY WATER. Irony we like GHAZAL but not those "INSTRUMENTS" which made it happen .
@ijaz ahmed: With whose permission u will drink ?
@I am a Khan:
floods and other natural disasters are happening even in strict islamic countries. Not only now but it happened even during the golden days of Islam. So your argument is invalid, unless you mean god is secular and brings natural disasters on believers and non believers without any discrimination.
Ijaz Ahmed: "Are we becoming so intolerant society? Cant people enjoy a drink with EID coming up soon? I really don’t know whats becoming of our country Pakistan."
You are concerned more about freedom of those who want to consume alcohol during Eid than being concerned about daily blasts that kill many Muslims in every part of Pakistan everyday including Karachi? You don't know whats becoming of your country Pakistan? There lies the problem. 65 years of keeping the common people in ignorance and feeding false facts and creating "enemies". Add to that direct state-sponsored support to terrorists, first against USSR, then against India, followed by Afghanistan and US. All of your country's money is spent on making nuclear weapons and foreign trips by your ministers and what do all you common people do? Follow the footsteps of your spineless leaders and blame everything wrong on India, America, Israel, Afghanistan. There will be a day when the Taliban will be a more stronger & menacing force than your brave "corner plots" rich nuclear Army and you common people will be left cursing your own fate. Forget Kashmir, even Balochistan then won't want to be part of Pakistan anymore. The seeds of discontent are getting sown slowly by Pakistan's own misdeeds. Ignorant masses, Exploiting rulers.
good job by bombers targeting wine shop seems that now the original taliban are in action now the real ones,,,,,,
Probably a disgruntled customer - for not getting a quota of his favourite tipple...
@ijaz ahmed: @Aftab Kenneth Wilson: This is the ugly face of people ruling Karachi. We need to wipe out all mafias including the religious ones. Karachi has gone to the dogs but soon these mafias will be invading our homes. Either we fight back now or we will have them as our SonInLaws.
hey liberals storm this news with (oh wine is permitted in islam for eid, such barbaric act)
Sorry drinkers, now you will have to purchase with increased rates. There are millions who daily have a sip or two of this Holy Water (If one drinks he starts speaking truth and that also in English). Now rates will go up and drinkers might start blocking M..A. Jinnah Road .......this is what we are ....
Are we becoming so intolerant society? Cant people enjoy a drink with EID coming up soon? I really don't know whats becoming of our country Pakistan.
why did the government not close the wine shops earlier? what sort of Islamic republic allows wine shops? and then we are surprised why floods are coming? Resorting to violence by any group is wrong, but the government should also act like that of an Islamic republic.
Dear fellows, please be cautious when you go out for EID shopping. TTP, SSP and now the Bhatta Mafia are in full action without any fear of prosecution.
What is a 'cracker' blast?
This should not make headlines. Wine shop hmmmmm interesting. People preparing for EID.
As the Eid is around the corner, this must be the activity from Bhatta Mafia?