Separate targets: Back-to-back blasts take law enforcers by surprise

Police blame ‘enemies of peace’, register three cases

KARACHI:

Panic gripped the city on Saturday after three blasts within a span of two hours targeted a police station and two educational institutes.

Though no loss of life was reported, a school student was slightly injured in one of the incidents.

The first blast occurred at around 9:20am when armed motorcyclists threw an explosive device inside the Mobina Town police station on Abul Hassan Isphahani Road in District East, damaging a police vehicle parked inside. However, no policeman was hurt in the attack.

Police investigators have obtained CCTV footage of the attack showing two motorcyclists hurling the bomb inside the police station before fleeing the scene. "We have obtained the footage and are trying to trace the attackers," explained Gulshan-e-Iqbal SP Dr Fahad Mukhtar.

While law enforcing agencies were busy conducting initial investigations at the site, a similar blast occurred in District Central at around 10am. This time, the attackers targeted Apwa College on Sharae Pakistan in Gulberg. "The motorcyclists threw an explosive device from the Karimabad flyover that hit the college wall," explained Gulberg SHO Tasawar Ameer. The officer said no one was wounded in the attack, however, a passer-by identified as 19-year-old Sakina, fell on the road due to the blast.

College principal Naseem Zaidi demanded at least 10 security guards to cover the college’s three gates.

“There is no proper security for our 4,500 students and 150 staff members,” she lamented, saying the building’s rear wall was also not high enough.

Zaidi revealed that the SHO visited the college two days ago for security checks but did not depute additional policemen.

Condemning the attack on the government-run college, education secretary Fazlullah Pechuho told The Express Tribune the government's security plan is in place for schools and colleges, and such attacks are only meant to create fear in the minds of parents and students.

At 10:45am, the city witnessed another low-intensity blast in District Central. The third bomb targeted The Educators school in Block-A, North Nazimabad. "The attackers threw a bomb inside the school," explained North Nazimabad SHO Shabbir Hussain. "A Matric student, who was standing in the school courtyard, was injured after the bomb exploded inside." The student, 16-year-old Osama Arif, received shrapnel wounds on his hands and face. He was taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital from where he was later discharged after treatment. The spokesperson of the school said they are not allowed to comment.

Cases have been registered at the Mobina Town, Gulberg and North Nazimabad police stations, respectively, under various sections of the explosives and anti-terrorism acts, along with those of the Pakistan Penal Code, against unidentified persons. All three cases were registered on behalf of the state.

Bomb disposal experts also examined the blast sites and collected evidence. "All three were locally made bombs. The college and school bombs were the same as both were 'ball bombs'," explained a senior explosives expert. "But the third bomb that targeted the police station was different as it was a 'cracker bomb'," he explained. The bombs that targeted the educational institutes weighed 200 to 250 grammes each and included ball bearings, while the police station's bomb weighed 50 grammes, it was revealed.

The series of blasts seem to be part of a wider trend observed since the start of this year with multiple similar attacks, particularly in District Central, where culprits targeted Rangers check posts and police vehicles at least four times in Nazimabad and Liaquatabad. Investigators have failed to trace and arrest the culprits behind those bombings.

The police too seem confused about the frequent attacks. "It could be one or different groups but it is clear that they are those (militant outfits) who are not happy with the current peace in the city," explained District Central police chief DIG Feroz Shah.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 13^th, 2016.