Pakistan

Low-intensity blasts: Sindh shaken up by a string of attacks

An elderly man was killed and three others, including two policemen, were injured.

Sarfaraz Memon/z Ali October 30, 2013

An elderly man was killed and three others, including two policemen, were injured. PHOTO: REUTERS/ FILE

SUKKUR/ HYDERABAD:

An elderly man was killed and three others, including two policemen, were injured on Tuesday when cracker-lobbing assailants mounted brazen attacks on at least 19 locations in different towns and cities of Sindh.

The deadliest attacks were reported in Hyderabad, where four separate locations were hit. These attacks resulted in the death of a 65-year-old man.

According to the Hyderabad Bomb Disposal Squad in-charge Saleem Mistro, all crackers were low-intensity bombs but in one of the crackers hurled at a police post ball bearing and pellets were used. The explosions took place simultaneously between 6:30pm and 6:40pm.

At least 10 cracker attacks were carried out at two different times in Dadu district and a bakery worker was slightly injured. One of the four earlier blasts targeted Dadu Press Club.

Areas targetted included Station Road, Mallah Chowk, Benazir Inn Hotel, and Chandni Chowk localities in Dadu and a branch of National Bank.

In Jamshoro, the outlaws set three vehicles ablaze and threw crackers at two separate spots in the Kotri district.

Eight blasts took place in different localities of Larkana, including Lahori Muhalla,Chandka Bridge, Brohi Railway Crossing and Railway Station Road.

Terrorists also struck Faiz Ganj, Pacca Chang and Hingorja of Khairpur district but no loss was reported. Another blast took place at a railway track near Mehrabpur, Naushahro Feroze district.

After the attacks the Rangers started patrolling different cities and towns to avert further blasts. Raids and search operation were also carried out to arrest the suspects. Informed sources claimed that the banned Jeay Sindh Mutahida Mahaz (JSMM) had issued shutter down strike call for Wednesday to vent their anger against recently promulgated Presidential Ordinance titled Pakistan Protection Ordinance.

“The attacks bear all the hallmarks of the banned outfit,” said the Hyderabad region Police DIG Naeem Akram Baroka, referring to the JSMM. “We had tightened security along the railway tracks as the banned group mainly attacks the tracks with IEDs. But this time they resorted to the use of crackers,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 30^th, 2013.