Security officials and local residents gather at the site of the bomb explosions. PHOTO: AFP
The explosions were reportedly followed by heavy aerial firing at the blast site in Qasba Colony no. 2.5, Orangi Town.
According to Express News correspondent Nadeem Ahmed, Ali Imambargah and Darul Ahad Masjid are also located near the blast site. The MQM unit office in the area was closed at the time of the blasts.
The first blast occurred outside the MQM office, while the second explosion was closer to the imambargah. Thus, it is unclear at this point whom the blasts were targeting.
DIG West Zafar Abbas Bukhari said that the first blast was carried out with explosives planted in a pick-up truck, while the second one was an improvised explosive device (IED) containing ball bearings. Eyewitnesses said the device was hurled by a man on a motorcycle.
The blasts occurred nearly 15 minutes after Qasba Colony lost electricity, according to an eyewitness.
Those injured in the explosions were shifted to Abbasi Shaheed and Qatar hospitals.
Caretaker Prime Minister Justice (retd) Mir Hazar Khan Khoso and Jamaat-i-Islami ameer Munawar Hasan condemned the blasts.
The MQM announced it would observe a day of mourning all across Sindh on Sunday. Businesses would remain closed and public transport will be halted, according to MQM's Coordination Committee.
This is the fourth such incident of the week in Karachi. One blast targeted the Awami National Party (ANP), while the other two targeted MQM's election offices. The MQM had shut down its offices across the city after the first blast.
The Taliban have directly threatened the three main parties in the outgoing government, the Pakistan Peoples Party, the ANP and the MQM, which are often described as secular.
COMMENTS (22)
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I saw new tickers last night that Rangers suspect armed wings of some political parties are behind the recent bombings. The tickers then disappeared after a few minutes.
Rangers held an emergency meeting last night.
@Ek tha Tiger: well said........... Karachi should go under the control of Army agencies...... they must wipe out all the dirt from here......... a mounth is enough for this.....!!
Karachi needs to be lo ked down till the capture.of.these terrorists. Even if it takes a week or two we are ready. Lets cleanup this city it will save fuel too which is required for electricity in punjab and other provinces.
@torture: So did the army throw out TTP from Swat where it conducted a huge operation making 1.8 million people homeless? What about South Waziristan where it also conducted an operation? FC which is under army control has been lording over Balochistan for 4 years. Has the situation in Quetta improved? What makes you think your army will make a difference in Karachi? If it manages to win back Tirah valley, we can talk.
First we were Pakistanis, Then they asked, you Punjabi? Pathan? Balochi? Or Sindhi? Then they asked, you Ahal-e-Tashi/Shia? Or you Sunni? And it goes on and on till the silliest detail to divide us all, Into stupid little fragments, pointing fingers and guns at eachother,….. why? Before any of what you claim to be, be a true Pakistani, And half the case is solved, rest are criminal elements, That we can fight together…….. Brother!
@Ek tha Tiger: Do you know many people would suffer because of that? The taxi and Richsaw driver would be penniless, businesses would be halted and people would've to stay hungry.
Like I mentioned before, Karachi needs to be closed down for good 15-20 days and all the law enforcement agencies together must carry out a clean-up operation in the city eliminating terrorists, extortionists, drug mafia and target killers.
Army take over required!!
free and fair elections wont take place with this condition :-(
@Pakistan: Why Pakistan Army man? If army is there, we cry, if army is not there we cry - what exactly we want?
Where is police? all the dear MQM police?
where is Altaf Hussain?
What good is the prime minister's CONDEMNING of this incident? What good have these politicians' condemning EVER done? Go do something about it mr pm
Any comment from the Ministry of Law and the Interior??? It was better in Malikjee's time. At least his quotes made headlines. Where is Na Maloom Afrad?? Please find them.
Tomorrow is Sunday. ET is there a Hartal?? Please let us know now.
Karachi should be on hault till army take over... no more elections till peace is restored
It seems to be that MQM and ANP are rooted out from the politics, prior to the election is held in the country.
Deploy Army in Karachi
We have been fighting for almost 10 years now but we still haven't managed to defeat this lightly-armed terrorists. With what justification is the army taking the lion's share of our budget now? Instead of being confined to Waziristan, these terrorists have established their bases all over Pakistan. If the Pakistani army can't control these rag-tag terrorists, how will they fight India?
Where is the President, where is the retribution? Are you just going to cower in your palatial mansions and offices while terrorists annihilate us? Is the military doing anything to 'secure the territorial integrity of Pakistan'? What a mess. This downward spiral into the abyss needs to stop!
Where is Pak Army? Btw
Mr. Governor. Where are you sir?