The squad part of Matanat Ali's entourage destroyed in the blast. PHOTO: EXPRESS/ATHAR KHAN
KARACHI: An explosion targeting Metropolitan Commissioner Matanat Ali Khan's convoy, near Essa Nagri on Sir Shah Suleman road of Gulshan-e-Iqbal, left a police security guard dead and another three, including the commissioner, injured.
Express News reported that the blast occurred just before Iftar on Saturday evening and hit the metallic-coloured double cabin of the metropolitan commissioner when he was on his way home in North Nazimabad from his office in the Civic Centre.
While the commissioner was shifted to the Aga Khan University Hospital for treatment, his police guard Sohail Anjum Siddiqui, driver Haroon and a passerby Yamin were taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.
At the hospital, the guard succumbed to his injuries and passed away.
The blast injured as many as five people, including the commissioner and his guard. He has been rushed to the Liaquat National Hospital where his situation is described as 'stable'.
Matanat Ali Khan's guard died at the hospital during treatment.
Express News correspondent Nadeem Khan informed that explosives had been hidden in a motorcycle parked near the road in front of the mosque and was detonated using remote control. The explosion also damaged two motorcycles and as many rickshaws besides shattering the windowpanes of nearby buildings and a seminary.
The incident took place near Civic Centre, the nerve centre of Karachi's civic administration. The sprawling exhibition hall, Expo centre is located in the same area. On getting news of the blast, an extra contingent of law enforcers reached the site and cordoned off the locality to collect evidences from the site.
According to the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) at duty on site, an improvised explosive device (IED) was used to target the commissioner.
“The bomb was planted on a tank of the motorcycle parked along with the road,” BDS expert told The Express Tribune. “It was exploded with a remote control device.”
The expert said that about four kilogrammes of highly explosive material and one kilogram of ball bearings were used in making of the bomb.
There is some confusion amongst law enforcers about the group and motive behind the attack. Althought the city commissioner appears to have been the target, Deputy Superintendent Nasir Lodhi while quoting the initial investigation told Express Tribune that the commissioner’s vehicle was followed by the squad of the CID Chaudhry Aslam Khan.
“It could be a mistaken identity but Chaudhry Aslam was not present in the squad,” DSP Nasir Lodhi explained. “May be the suspect who pressed the button of the remote could not manage the timings but nothing precise can be said about the target until the investigation finalises.”
Officials of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) also arrived at the site, condemning the incident and demanding the government and law enforcers to arrest the culprits. KMC Director Media Ali Hussian Sajid talked to Express Tribune:
“Right now, it is premature to talk about who was behind the incident and why,” he said. “Matanat Sahab is now in stable condition. He received leg injuries.”
COMMENTS (9)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
1713509570-0/Taylor-Swift-Album-Release-(1)1713509570-0-270x192.webp)
commissioner was taken tobagha khan hospital while his guards and driver to abbasi shaheed hspital - how would you explain the apparent discrimination in the line of duty ?
i hope cities are secure so that politicians and civil sdrvants and military officers can travel with out those extensive security protocol !
all this is happening in Ramazan. its unacceptable in any month. were are the people WHO have the responsibilities for safety of Citizens. they are probably sleeping. What a shame.
I would like to express my 'grave concern' at the ghastly attack on the Municipal Commissioner +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ and the inability of the state to ensure safety and security of the people. I demand an immediate report on the incident and an assurance that no such incident would be repeated.
Yes these are your non state actors and assets now causing mayhem on your own streets ! What goes round comes around too ! These are your home grown cockroaches trained by your own deep state and used in past for your flawed foreign policies , now they are bored and have become rather ambitious and certainly want to take over your country. !
Whatever we think of Mr. Rehman Malik, he was much better than the current state of affairs under Mr. Ch. Nisar.
Today two buddies (China & Pak) experienced peaceful blast by peaceful people practising religion of peace.
Chaudhry Nisar must resign. There is no effort on his part to do anything about this menace. All agencies under him are literally on holidays.
I was standing in the building downstairs at a near by area when I heard a loud explosion.
I thought that a tyre of a big vehicle would have busted.
But after a minute I saw some dark clouds.
When I went home I opened up TV and the reports are that double cabin vehicle in which a municipal commissioner Mr. Matanat Ali Khan was sitting was the target which was going through Essa Nagri graveyard.
His police squad have also been injured.
I can hear that several ambulances have reached at the site of exploding and the injured are being shifted to the hospitals.
I am very grieved as what is happening in the holy month of Ramadan.