Rangers check post attacked in Nazimabad

Officials suspect a police van was the target of a cracker attack in Liaquatabad

KARACHI: Panic and fear gripped the city following twin bomb attacks on Friday - one in Nazimabad and the other in Liaquatabad. No loss of life was reported.

The first attack took place at 8am at a Rangers check post under the Matric Board Office Bridge in Nazimabad, where unidentified armed men threw a bomb at the check post before fleeing.



Following the first attack, a large number of law enforcers, both Rangers and the police, reached the site and cordoned off the area to collect evidence. Police officials said that the armed assailants threw a bottle bomb from the bridge and escaped.

Experts from the bomb disposal squad were also called to the site. According to the bomb disposal squad's experts, a home-made bomb made with explosives weighing 250 grammes was placed in the bottle. The same Rangers check post has come under attack multiple times in the past. Last week, armed motorcyclists threw a hand bomb at police mobiles stationed under the same bridge.

At around 1:30pm, two armed suspects riding a motorcycle threw a locally made hand cracker at the Liaquatabad's Super Market. No one was hurt in the incident and the suspects managed to flee. Though the reason behind the attack has not yet been ascertained, police officials suspect that cops could be the target of the attack, as a police van was stationed near the blast site. The cases of both the attacks have been registered and the police and Rangers have started investigations into the attacks.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 30^th,  2016.