Seven dead from blasts as Chehlum observed across Pakistan
Over 25 people injured in clashes and terrorist attacks in different cities.
Mourners march in a religious procession in Rawalpindi on December 24, 2013. PHOTO: AFP
KARACHI:
As Pakistanis observed the Chehlum of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) on Tuesday, a total of seven people were killed and at least 25 injured in multiple bomb explosions in Karachi and Mansehra, Express News reported.
The Chehlum is an observance that occurs 40 days after Ashura and is marked by processions.
The government suspended mobile services in 56 cities to ensure tightened security, but that did not stop two explosions going off in Mansehra.
The first one injured four people while the next one on Chakrali Road killed three near a school.
Earlier, in Karachi, blasts in Orangi Town took four lives and injuring 21.
In Rawalpindi, a clash broke out between between a group of protesters and security personnel the Pirwadhai area, which borders Islamabad.
Five people were injured in a firing incident in Raja Bazaar area of Rawalpindi, too.
A heavy contingent of security officers was present in the area when unidentified armed men opened fire. It was reported that processionists in Rawalpindi tried to enter Islamabad but the police stopped them, which led to clashes.
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End of Live Updates
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4:49pm
Update on the wounded in the Karachi blast below:
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4:24pm
Separately, three people were killed in an explosion near a school on Chakrali Road in Mansehra.
The bomb was on the side of the road and was activated by a remote control device.
Four people were also injured in another explosion in the same place this morning. The injured from the first explosion have been taken to a hospital.
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3:57pm
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3:42pm
The main Chehlum procession in Rawalpindi has reached the Jama Masjid Road.
A clash broke out between a group of protesters and security personnel in Rawalpindi’s Pirwadhai area which borders Islamabad.
The armed protesters have reportedly forced shopkeepers to shut down their shops.
Police officers shelled the group in their attempt to disperse them. SSP Islamabad has also arrived in the area and arrested five suspects.
More security officers have been called in from Islamabad to contain the mob in Rawalpindi and not allow them to enter the capital city.
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3:28pm
The blasts in Orangi Town, Karachi left three dead and 21 injured. The deceased include a man named Irfan and 15-year-old boy named Sunny.
According to initial details, a timed-device was used for the explosion.
A few rescue officials were also left injured when the second blast took place while they were carrying out relief activities.
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3:18pm
It was reported that processionists in Rawalpindi tried to go to Islamabad but the police stopped them, and they reacted violently.
Two people were also arrested during processions earlier today.
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2:43pm
Five people were injured in a firing incident in Raja Bazaar area of Rawalpindi.
A heavy contingent of security officers was present in the area when unidentified armed men opened fire.
The situation has now been brought under control.
A violent clash broke out at the same place during Ashura procession on November 15 and a curfew was imposed in the city to bring the situation under control.
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2:11pm
The number of injured in Karachi’s Orangi Town blasts has risen to 17.
An assistant sub inspector is also among the injured.
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2:07pm
The bodies of the victims of Karachi's Orangi Town blasts have been sent to a local hospital for post-mortem.
In Rawalpindi, police resorted to shelling in order to control a few angry members of a Chehlum procession.
The procession was going through the Pirwadhai area of the city and details about the reason why the participants got out of hand are not yet known.
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2:00pm
The death toll in Karachi's Orangi Town blasts has risen to three while the number of people who were injured reached 14.
A rescue ambulance was also destroyed in the blasts.
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1:54pm
Mourners have started to gather outside the Imambargah Ali Raza on MA Jinnah Road in Karachi to offer Zuhr prayers.
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1:26pm
Additional IG Shahid Hayat while speaking to the media said a small amount of explosive material was used in the explosion near Karachi’s Capri Cinema.
He said the procession route is now being rechecked for any suspicious material.
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1:13pm
The twin explosions in Karachi's Orangi Town left two dead and 10 injured.
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1:06pm
Police and rescue officials have arrived in the area, while injured were taken to a nearby hospital.
Police have not verified the explosion as yet.
The number of injured has increased to five.
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1:04pm
Another blast was heard in Karachi’s Orangi Town.
One person was killed and two others were injured in the explosion.
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12:59pm
Police and Rangers have cordoned off the area.
Security officers claim a tyre had burst and was mistaken for an explosion.
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12:55pm
A few tweets regarding the explosion:
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12:49pm
Bomb Disposal Squad and rescue officials have been called in to handle the situation near Karachi’s Capri Cinema.
The Chehlum procession was meant to pass through this area and mourners were starting to gather here.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
12:45pm
A blast was heard near Karachi’s Capri Cinema.
Police and Rangers personnel are present in the area as a part of the Chehlum security plan.
The exact nature of the blast is not known as yet.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
12:25pm
Army took control of security in Rawalpindi with around 7,000 personnel deployed to maintain law and order in the garrison city.
At least 5,000 security officers are on duty in Karachi for security purposes, while army units are on standby to deal with any emergency situation.
Procession routes in major cities are also monitored through security cameras, while sniffer dogs are used for olfactory surveillance.
Cellphone services will remain blocked in Karachi from 7am till 10pm, from 9am till 10pm in Hyderabad, from 8am till 8pm in Sukkur and from 7am till 12am in Mirpurkhas.
The Sindh government has also placed a ban on pillion riding in a few cities of the province including Karachi, while displaying arms in public is also prohibited.
Section 144 was put in place in Peshawar, barring Afghan refugees from entering the city.
As Pakistanis observed the Chehlum of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) on Tuesday, a total of seven people were killed and at least 25 injured in multiple bomb explosions in Karachi and Mansehra, Express News reported.
The Chehlum is an observance that occurs 40 days after Ashura and is marked by processions.
The government suspended mobile services in 56 cities to ensure tightened security, but that did not stop two explosions going off in Mansehra.
The first one injured four people while the next one on Chakrali Road killed three near a school.
Earlier, in Karachi, blasts in Orangi Town took four lives and injuring 21.
In Rawalpindi, a clash broke out between between a group of protesters and security personnel the Pirwadhai area, which borders Islamabad.
Five people were injured in a firing incident in Raja Bazaar area of Rawalpindi, too.
A heavy contingent of security officers was present in the area when unidentified armed men opened fire. It was reported that processionists in Rawalpindi tried to enter Islamabad but the police stopped them, which led to clashes.
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End of Live Updates
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4:49pm
Update on the wounded in the Karachi blast below:
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
4:24pm
Separately, three people were killed in an explosion near a school on Chakrali Road in Mansehra.
The bomb was on the side of the road and was activated by a remote control device.
Four people were also injured in another explosion in the same place this morning. The injured from the first explosion have been taken to a hospital.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3:57pm
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3:42pm
The main Chehlum procession in Rawalpindi has reached the Jama Masjid Road.
A clash broke out between a group of protesters and security personnel in Rawalpindi’s Pirwadhai area which borders Islamabad.
The armed protesters have reportedly forced shopkeepers to shut down their shops.
Police officers shelled the group in their attempt to disperse them. SSP Islamabad has also arrived in the area and arrested five suspects.
More security officers have been called in from Islamabad to contain the mob in Rawalpindi and not allow them to enter the capital city.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3:28pm
The blasts in Orangi Town, Karachi left three dead and 21 injured. The deceased include a man named Irfan and 15-year-old boy named Sunny.
According to initial details, a timed-device was used for the explosion.
A few rescue officials were also left injured when the second blast took place while they were carrying out relief activities.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
3:18pm
It was reported that processionists in Rawalpindi tried to go to Islamabad but the police stopped them, and they reacted violently.
Two people were also arrested during processions earlier today.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2:43pm
Five people were injured in a firing incident in Raja Bazaar area of Rawalpindi.
A heavy contingent of security officers was present in the area when unidentified armed men opened fire.
The situation has now been brought under control.
A violent clash broke out at the same place during Ashura procession on November 15 and a curfew was imposed in the city to bring the situation under control.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2:11pm
The number of injured in Karachi’s Orangi Town blasts has risen to 17.
An assistant sub inspector is also among the injured.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2:07pm
The bodies of the victims of Karachi's Orangi Town blasts have been sent to a local hospital for post-mortem.
In Rawalpindi, police resorted to shelling in order to control a few angry members of a Chehlum procession.
The procession was going through the Pirwadhai area of the city and details about the reason why the participants got out of hand are not yet known.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2:00pm
The death toll in Karachi's Orangi Town blasts has risen to three while the number of people who were injured reached 14.
A rescue ambulance was also destroyed in the blasts.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
1:54pm
Mourners have started to gather outside the Imambargah Ali Raza on MA Jinnah Road in Karachi to offer Zuhr prayers.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
1:26pm
Additional IG Shahid Hayat while speaking to the media said a small amount of explosive material was used in the explosion near Karachi’s Capri Cinema.
He said the procession route is now being rechecked for any suspicious material.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
1:13pm
The twin explosions in Karachi's Orangi Town left two dead and 10 injured.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
1:06pm
Police and rescue officials have arrived in the area, while injured were taken to a nearby hospital.
Police have not verified the explosion as yet.
The number of injured has increased to five.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
1:04pm
Another blast was heard in Karachi’s Orangi Town.
One person was killed and two others were injured in the explosion.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
12:59pm
Police and Rangers have cordoned off the area.
Security officers claim a tyre had burst and was mistaken for an explosion.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
12:55pm
A few tweets regarding the explosion:
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
12:49pm
Bomb Disposal Squad and rescue officials have been called in to handle the situation near Karachi’s Capri Cinema.
The Chehlum procession was meant to pass through this area and mourners were starting to gather here.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
12:45pm
A blast was heard near Karachi’s Capri Cinema.
Police and Rangers personnel are present in the area as a part of the Chehlum security plan.
The exact nature of the blast is not known as yet.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
12:25pm
Army took control of security in Rawalpindi with around 7,000 personnel deployed to maintain law and order in the garrison city.
At least 5,000 security officers are on duty in Karachi for security purposes, while army units are on standby to deal with any emergency situation.
Procession routes in major cities are also monitored through security cameras, while sniffer dogs are used for olfactory surveillance.
Cellphone services will remain blocked in Karachi from 7am till 10pm, from 9am till 10pm in Hyderabad, from 8am till 8pm in Sukkur and from 7am till 12am in Mirpurkhas.
The Sindh government has also placed a ban on pillion riding in a few cities of the province including Karachi, while displaying arms in public is also prohibited.
Section 144 was put in place in Peshawar, barring Afghan refugees from entering the city.