BLA planted 25kg bomb in Nazimabad, say police

The bomb disposal squad defused the bomb on Monday.

KARACHI:

Police investigators suspect that the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) had planted the bomb which was discovered and defused in North Nazimabad on Monday.

A 25-kilogramme bomb was found near Dolmen Mall, a popular shopping centre in North Nazimabad, on Monday night and was defused by the bomb disposal squad after a boy told law enforcers that he had come across an odd box.

SP Mazhar Mashwani of the Crime Investigation Department said that the initial investigation has led law enforcers to believe that the bomb was planted by the Baloch Liberation Army to disrupt Independence Day celebrations. The group was also suspected to be behind the attack on a bus carrying Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission employees on July 11. A bystander was killed and over two dozen of the organisation’s employees were injured in the attack. Two suspects from the same group were also apprehended for the bomb attack which occurred near the Chinese Consulate on July 23.

The North Nazimabad police have registered an FIR against unidentified men. Over 100 vehicles were parked near the bomb and around 2,500 people were also present nearby. SHO Mohammad Saleem said that the police was able to foil the attack after they were alerted, adding that the law enforcers immediately evacuated the mall as well as the area surrounding it. The bomb disposal squad was called to deactivate the device. The bomb was locally made and contained ball bearings. Samples have been sent to the laboratory for examination. 

Published in The Express Tribune, August 15^th, 2012.