Karachi attacks: Four killed in back-to-back blasts

Deceased include three Rangers; eight other people, including four paramilitary soldiers, injured.

KARACHI:

Four people, including three Rangers, were killed and eight others were injured in three consecutive bombings in Karachi on Wednesday.

The bombings took place in the city’s North Nazimabad locality, just three days after six policemen were killed in back to back attacks on police vans in the Landhi area of Karachi.

The first bomb, planted by the roadside under the Nazimabad No 7 flyover, exploded around 9:45am and resulted in no casualties.

However, roughly 15 minutes later, as Rangers and police personnel were collecting evidence from the site, the second bomb exploded. One Ranger was killed while four other Rangers, a policeman, rescue worker and bystander were injured in the blast.

According to witnesses, the two blasts took place near an under-construction Rangers checkpoint.

Less than two hours later, the third blast, a suicide bombing, took place outside the main entrance of the headquarters of Pakistan Rangers Sacchal Wing, roughly half a kilometre away from the site of the first two attacks. Two rangers and the security guard of the nearby telephone exchange were killed and two passersby were wounded in the attack.

“A bearded young man, dressed in shalwar kameez and wearing a suicide vest, attempted to breach the Rangers HQ,” one of the surviving soldiers told The Express Tribune. “He blew himself up as soon as one of our jawans noticed him and asked him to stop,” he added.

The victims of the three attacks were taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (ASH). Dr Sheraz of ASH confirmed the casualties and said the injured were clear of danger. “Pellets were found in the bodies of all the victims,” he added.

Dr Sheraz said the hospital also received the remains of the suicide attacker for DNA tests to establish his identity.

In its initial report, the bomb disposal squad said the devices used in the first two blasts were concealed in cement blocks and contained around 700g to 800g of explosives along with ball bearings, nuts, bolts and screws.

Talking to The Express Tribune, an official of the BDS said it was likely the two devices were made by the same person. He added that they were detonated using cellphone triggers, parts of which were recovered at the blast site.

Meanwhile, according to the BDS report, the suicide vest used in the third blast used six kilogrammes of explosives.

The suicide attacker targeted the same Rangers HQ which was attacked 14 months ago. Three Rangers were killed and 13 others were wounded when a suicide attacker rammed a small truck laden with explosives into the HQ of the Sacchal Wing in November 2012.

So far no group has claimed responsibility for Wednesday’s blasts. The Naeem Bukhari group of the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi claimed responsibility for the 2012 attack on the Rangers HQ. Investigators, however, suspect the Mohmand chapter of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan may be involved in the latest attacks.

A senior Rangers official said the attacks could be retaliation for the paramilitary force’s operations in Manghopir and its adjoining areas. “The November 2012 attack was carried out in response to the arrests of some members of certain armed groups… We have arrested some other key members of such groups in recent raids and these [Wednesday’s] attacks may be a reaction to that.”

Meanwhile, the Rangers spokesman said that the paramilitary soldiers who spotted and stopped the suicide attacker have been recommended for gallantry awards.

“The Rangers are not perturbed by this latest attack and it will only rejuvenate their resolve… Rangers will increase the intensity of their operations,” he said.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah condemned the attacks and appreciated the role of Rangers in maintaining law and order in the province.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 30^th, 2014.