Tragedy averted: 12kg bomb planted near Safoora school defused

KARACHI:

A 12 kilogramme roadside bomb planted near Safoora Chowrangi was defused by the Bomb Disposal Squad on Friday – four days after a similar explosive was dismantled near the Rangers headquarters off Super Highway. Both are believed to have been made by the same person.

The bomb was planted near a private school in Sacchal police limits. The school was closed due to summer vacations. The school’s security guard had informed the police about a suspected bomb at 9:10am.

A team of law enforcers cordoned off the area and the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) was called to defuse the bomb.

Bomb disposal officers said that it was an improvised explosive device (IED). The explosives with ball bearings, nuts and bolts were packed in a cement block. The bomb also had a detonator, indicating that it was a remote-controlled device.

Investigators believe that the IED was similar to the bomb recovered on July 16 near the Pakistan Rangers’ Sacchal Wing, with the intelligence and law enforcement personnel as likely targets.

Similar explosives have also been used in earlier attacks in Buffer Zone, Quaidabad, Super Highway and the naval headquarters.

BDS expert Abid Farooqui told The Express Tribune that the locally manufactured bomb on Friday was not different from the one found on July 16. “They were made by the same person,” he added.

In December 2011, at about 200 feet from the spot from where the bomb was found on Friday, a roadside bomb planted near a Rangers patrol van had exploded, killing three jawans and wounding about six others

With the main road leading to Malir Cantt, the route is routinely used by intelligence officers. Since last year’s bombing, no police or Rangers van has been allowed to take up position at the same spot.

SHO Azhar Ali Iqbal said that the bomb was “fortunately” found in time or it would have exploded.

“Obviously, we [intelligence, law enforcers] are the targets,” he said. “All recent terror activities are being planned by the same group.”

The police have registered a case on behalf of the state against unidentified suspects.

Rangers officials were of the view that nothing could be said about the militants’ targets as an investigation was underway.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 21^st, 2012.