Police officials march past coffins of their fallen comrades during their funeral in Karachi on Thursday evening. PHOTO: MOHAMMAD NOMAN/EXPRESS
KARACHI: A bomb blast near a police bus in Karachi killed 13 police officials, and injured at least 57 others, Express News reported on Thursday.
Their funeral prayers were offered later on Thursday at the police centre near Hassan Square.
The explosion took place near the exit of the Razzaqabad Police Training Centre in Shah Latif Town area just as a police bus was leaving the premises. The bus was carrying police commandoes on their way to provide security at Bilawal House.
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan accepted responsibility for the attack Thursday evening, calling it an act of revenge.
Suicide car bomb
There were conflicting reports as to whether the explosion was caused by a suicide attack or a remote-controlled bomb blast. “Apparently, it was a suicide car attack as an explosive-laden car hit the police bus transporting officials,” Munir Sheikh, a senior police official had stated earlier today.
Another official, Farooq Awan, who heads a special investigative unit, said the bus was making a U-turn after leaving a training centre when a small van struck it.
On the other hand, Superintendent of Police (SP) Crime Investigation Department (CID) Raja Omar Khattab, while talking to the media, stated that the explosive material was detonated using a remote.
He added that most of the casualties took place because of the ball bearings and the explosive material carried by the van.
Shahid Nadeem Baloch, police chief for Sindh also said that the bomb was remotely detonated.
“We cannot say anything concrete about who was involved in the attack until we get all the evidence collected,” Additional Inspector General (AIG) of Sindh Police Shahid Hayat told the media.
There were more than 50 police officers in the police bus when the incident occurred and it was reported that a few civilians also sustained injuries. The vehicle was completely destroyed in the explosion.
According to initial investigation, a vehicle laden with 15 to 20 kilogrammes of explosives hit the police bus.
Rangers and police have reached the blast site, cordoned off the area and started a search operation.
As a result of the blast there was a traffic jam on National Highway.
Police remain determined
Speaking to the media in Karachi, Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah said that the targeted operation in Karachi would continue no matter what happens. He added that the families of the deceased will be compensated with Rs2 million each and the injured will be given Rs0.2 million each.
“Medical treatment of the injured will be done free of cost,” the chief minister told the reporters.
He added that the willpower and the enthusiasm of the police have not diminished and they will continue to work with full determination.
The chief minister also remarked that in the past four months terrorism has decreased.
The attack will not hinder the operation, Sindh Minister for Information and Local Government Sharjeel Inam Memon told the media.
“We are investigating this attack from all angles and who had the most to lose by the forces’ actions and want harm upon them. But the forces will not be demoralised and will work more aggressively,” Memon added.
TTP responds
The TTP spokesperson Shahidullah Shahid said the attack was aimed at taking revenge of Taliban members who had been killed in Karachi, Peshawar and Swabi recently by the police and Rangers.
"Twenty of our members have been killed in fake encounters in a month," Shahid said in a statement.
Since there is no formal ceasefire, the Taliban will carry out attacks to defend themselves, he added. “We have the right to take such steps."
He called for immediately taking steps to stop such acts as it is necessary for the success of dialogue process.
COMMENTS (69)
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@usman786: How innocent of you to say that with the provincial govt, you cry for lack of support of Islamabad. And when it comes to Karachi situation - With not even a provincial govt, you expect MQM to fix everything in Karachi. Is it being naive or silly or utter hatred?
And Mr. PM is enjoying trip to TURKEY for more personal investment, which will help in near future when he runs away.
The fourth largest army of the world holding deadly nuclear arsenal, but not able to fight these bunch of thugs is a matter of great concern to the whole world especially neighbouring India. Should these toys fall into the wrong hands, India as well as Israel would be targeted in no time. Either the Pak military shows its resolve to fight the terrorists and win the war against them or rest of the world should necessarily take joint action to take control of the nukes.
Our weak, spineless, coward leaders cannot even protect the basic right of their people, the right TO LIVE!!!
Thats just a regular day in Pakistan ......
I can't believe this all happened in the presence of Interior Minister???
The character and composition of Karachi has been usurped over the last 65 years. What was once a civilized and cultured city has been taken over aliens. To them Sindh is a foreign land. They care nothing for the sons of the soil. They want to squeeze out every drop of wealth. Corruption and thieving is normal for them, Now they want to kill everyone.
Daily Diwali in Pakistan?
Stake holder took responsibility. Welcome to Khilafet. Can some body provide address of NS & Army chief so I can send some bangels & burka to them so they can hide. Any time these thing happen it pain me being son of Indus civilization. Singh
In 2001, Pk made a mistake by helping US in destruction of Pashtuns.
Every nation spends between 4-6 % of its Revenue on security(Army + Police) and are fairly successful in maintaining Law and Order. Pakistan is spending close to 50% of its revenue but those supposed to protect the people are busy buying land and running bakeries. Military is incapable of fighting anybody and has outsourced its job to non State actors, so what if a few citizens disappear or are blown apart. Except a few upright officers, Police are busy collecting Hafta for Politicians. Thousands of people being killed in the name of religion is fine as long as killers are Muslim, without a single demonstration. However one Muslim killed by non Muslim anywhere and hundreds will hit the street in the Land of the Pure. By end of this year those who came to help have been duped and will leave Afghanistan. Having rejected help when the world offered it and having elevated terrorists to stake holders and brothers, Diwali or Guy Fawkes day is going to be celebrated everyday with loud explosions. No one in the world has any idea as to how a country like Pakistan can be rescued from its suicidal inclinations and actions. Religion is suffering Torture at the hands of the Faithful every single day -- is there anybody volunteering to save it in Pakistan ?
This is what happens and will continue to happen if we don't apply the writ of the state and punish criminals and their recruiters promptly and firmly. Eventually people will have to take responsibility themselves for their protection and dignity.
@Hmm:
Ask the Afghans what happens when the Taliban control - no newspapers, no TV, no internet - but lots of public executions in a football stadium that doesn't get used for sports because they don't like soccer either. Adopting Sharia doesn't eliminate the violence.
This incident shows the poor state of PAKISTANI leaderships and their servants (i mean bureaucrats).........If they were interested in securing police, rangers and civilians they would be working on strategies to protect them rather than making huge claims after each happening.
Since Law enforcement is under target and killer is acting independently, than the need of hour suggest that law enforcers should be separated and made to work independently too........The terrorist strap a belt and kills 10's of law enforcers where as law enforcers barely kills one........To reduce casualties and make it difficult on terrorist to strike the law enforcers should not walk closer neither in groups...................
But who will teach it to these brain dead / corrupt / money chaser thieves in parliament and bureaucracy???
Fruit of talks coming now, every day a member of both committee tells the nation that negotiation is moving in right direction and every day we witnessed blast in all three provinces except Punjab, so PM should not be worry about it, atleast Punjab is safe and his vote bank is Punjab only.
IK is leading the federal govt and he has weak govt in a province which require army and FC for law and order. At federal level his seats are even less than 10% of whole parliament. Still NS has to follow him??? scared? indecisiveness? or what
This is so sad. These incidence should never happen.
The war of terror goes on! Those who use violence as the means for security will face violence as well. It is about time that those who run around like headless chickens in police uniforms be placed under the authority of the city Mayor!! Neither the Central nor the Provincial authorities can bring about law and order in Karachi without the support of its residents.
Rex Minor
Thanks Musharraf
@ria: Very true
IK thank you for standing up and for being a Man by supporting the Peace Talk and forcing Federal Govt. to give peace a chance.
For All I.K and peace Bashers!!
War ends either like Hiroshima/ Nagasaki (Extinction) or either like Afghanistan (Peace Negotiations)
Peace is defiantly the better way out!
@saleem Nice try!
In the interest of the people of Paksitan,the nation should be Re structured or broken into small units just as Gulf states so that better control and peace can prevail.international community should take notice of this anarchy and do the needful.It was a black day for paksitanis when a resolution to form paksitan was passed.Since than any pakistani has not lived with peace.
Ultimatum now translating into actions. Who owns the 22 crores worth of bhatta? Should be decided among claimants amicably. Probably thru dialogues.
Everyone is playing hard-ball.........except the government.
Ok let's assume that this all is being done by the third force(s), then that means our security apparatus is sleeping or has no clue how to handle them. My suggestion, let’s start "muzakarat" with the third force(s) as well. Since apparently we are very good at appeasing those who harm us.
Demoralising for our law maintaining agencies. First they are politicised, and used then attacked. May Allah give them strength to protect us
Legalizing bomb blast an option ?
" The bus was on its way to Bilawal House to provide security. " " There were more than 50 police officers in the police bus when the incident occurred "
MASHALLAH Deployment of police security at Bilawal House besides a much greater number of staff at the residences and providing escort services for every sindh ministers, assembly members and other vips' MEANS that the Police is purely meant for serving them. The innocent citizens are left to be sliced in between the Terrorists and Criminals.
Let us see how many of them blessed with the police security have their moral courage to participate in their last rights.
They are the people who don't want table talk with talibans, who don't want sustainability in Pakistan they may be the politicians and foreign agencies.
So terribly terribly sad. For how long will the so-called leaders like Ik, NS etc. keep making excuses and hiding behind conspiracy theories? When will their cowardice and madness end?
Pakistan's military elite will sacrifice its citizens to save itself.
@Tabish Bilgrami:
ET's staff has been attacked several times before for their views (the most recent attack on an ET van killed 3 staff members), so perhaps it's hard to blame them when they choose to self-censor themselves when it comes to speaking openly about 'certain' organizations.
boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
God bless my city.
@ a&a @ Saleem One can make all sorts of assumptions in the current scenairo, however, I am of the opinion that the rulers, both in sindh and at the federal level belong to the political groups. Basically a politician always has a tendancy to float or create some rifts for using it as a tool to keep the nation busy and pass their term of tenure. Now, looking back into the history of our current rulers, they had never completed their term on account of their odd practices resulting in both ecnomical & financial loss to the country with barely any relief to the poor and innocent citizens upon whose votes they got elected (transparency of the elections still remains doubtful).
can some one tell us why we are paying salary of the ISI chief? Isnt homeland security the main reason we have ISI?
So this is the outcome of the statement by the PM " NS says that for the dialogue with the TTP he has the support of the nation as well as from the forces." WHAT A JOKE !!! NS is taking it in a typical businessman mode Profit = Nil Loss = neumrous loss of innocent lives
Very Sad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The savages who claim to be defender of religion are in action as ever. They have no shame nor inhibition.
Religion is an insult to human dignity. With or without it you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion. -Steven Weinberg
Imran khan and all others who still glorify worst killers (talban) and defend them openly are responsible for all that is happening to innocent people of Pakistan, kill the killers and it is Islam 100% no need to talk to them
It is Gift for Muzakarat ...!
Where is Mr.Shahid Hayat, Add.I.G. ? He will soon "inform" us that a political party is involved in all killings and terror acts and police does not take bribe.
Looks like anarchy is setting in Pakistan. The agencies have stopped following the rule of law with their extra-judicial killings and now the terrorists are going after them. Where will all this end?
There is a constant war going on between the police and political Mafia of Karachi. Well over hundred police officials are brutally bombed, shot and murdered. Yet nobody demands the arrest of their killers. The same way there is no demand, let alone ultimatum to arrest the two killers of Dr. Imran. However some ordinary workers are much more imp than the founding leaders like Imran Farooqi.
No one's safe here..
I believe we can blame all of this, including the massacre in Peshawar yesterday on a third force. TTP is a peace loving group which has announced ceasefire. They cannot be involved in this.
Truly sad news, indeed.. Tragic loss.. My thoughts and prayers are for the deceased and their families.. I am equally sad to read that 50+ policemen were going in the tragic bus to provide security to Bilawal House, where some of our "great" leaders reside...
NS, Please order to destroy Taliban from face of earth. The military budget exceeds 800 billion, and it is not for dialogues. Where is IK, anyone?
Why don't gov apply Saharia rules to stop these bomb blasts ?
Inna Lillah he wa Inna Elihe Rajeeon. RIP to the departed souls...
R.I.P.
Heard the 50+ contingent was going for its duty at King Joffrey's?
Pathetic country and government. They are talking peace with terrorists while they are killing us.
This is an appeal to the world, please help us from the religious fanatics in Pakistan and their supporters in government. This appeal is there because the government will not help as it is in partnership with the terrorists.
Taliban can have it both ways, continuing to terrorize the country while pretending that they are not involved in these recent attacks!
Thats the height of diplomacy. Killing spree is accelerated but the culprits go clean as milk. So much for the peace talks and its saboteurs.
We will still say to peace talks... Huh ET please publish what TTP said in an interview regarding "Khalifa" and "Ameer-ul-Momineen"....
The spin doctors shall spin a story that it was not TTP but others who are involved in this bombing.
Irrespective of the number of army men, police and ordinary Pakistanis they may kill, everyone will keep calling for talks with TTP.
is this a big surprise? When u lift the status of terrorists to stakeholders then you have pretty much reinforced these terrorists.
I feel sorry for the Pakistani people who have these kind of leaders and media people who are so primitive and lack mental sophistication..
MQM sister org of TTP.........
IK you said talk is the only way to peace Who is doing this.Don't say liberals are sabotaging the talk.Shame on cowards.
Who are these people trying to kill police? Is it a retaliation by MQM?