10 die in Baldia truck explosion

CTD officials say vehicle was attacked with a grenade

KARACHI:

At least 10 people died on Saturday and several others were injured after an explosion in a truck in Mawach Goth area of Karachi’s Baldia Town.

Police said the victims were returning from a wedding in a Shehzore mini truck.  The driver had picked up a family of 20-25 people, including women and children, from Pareshan Chowk in Baldia.

Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) officials, investigating the crime scene, said the mini truck was attacked from the right side with a grenade. There were no explosives on the vehicle prior to the incident, they added.

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CTD In-charge Raja Umar Khattab told reporters that the initial investigation pointed to the possibility of a grenade attack.

"The grenade exploded before it could be lobbed inside the vehicle," he said.

He added that the attackers were riding on motorcycles.

DIG South Javed Akbar Riaz said that the incident took place at around 9:45pm.

The bomb disposal squad said they had found pieces of a “Russian-manufactured grenade” at the scene.

The Civil Hospital administration said they had received 10 bodies and the same number of injured people.

The victims included six women and four children. An emergency has been imposed at the medical facility.

It was earlier reported that the incident was a cylinder blast. SP Faizan Ali, however, dismissed these reports and claimed that an explosive material was used in the attack.

Police and Rangers personnel cordoned off the area after the incident and further investigation was under way.

Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, while taking notice of the incident, sought a report from the DG Rangers and IGP.

He said the incident should be investigated from all angles, adding that federal institutions would fully cooperate with the Sindh government.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah directed the local authorities to immediately rush the injured to nearby hospitals.

He also sought a report from the provincial transport minister about the vehicle on whether the truck belonged to Sindh or another province.

The chief minister also directed the transport minister to provide details about the vehicle's fitness certificate and the cause of the explosion.

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Shah also told the health secretary to shift the injured to the Burns Centre of the Civil Hospital Karachi for treatment.

Karachi Metropolitan Corporation Administrator Murtaza Wahab contacted the SSP Keamari and asked him about the incident.

In a statement, Wahab said investigators were probing the incident from different angles.

Expressing regret over the loss of human lives, the administrator directed officials to provide the best possible medical treatment to those who were injured.

(With input from agencies)