More violence, more victims: Second of two attacks injures four people

Police believe that the attacks were meant to harm the law enforcers.

KARACHI:

Twin blasts took place near the Mominabad police station in Orangi Town on Saturday, the latter of which injured at least four passers-by. 

The first blast took place around 7:30am, at about a 10-minute drive from the Mominabad police station. No one was hurt in the cracker attack but as the policemen of the Mominabad police station prepared to go to the first blast site, another explosion took place. "As soon as we left the police station, the second blast took place within a 100 metre radius of the police station," SHO Ahmed Butt told The Express Tribune. "We remained safe but unfortunately four passers-by were wounded."

The injured -- Naseeb Khan, 30, Yousuf Taj, 28, Hussain Yaqoob, 28, and Siraj Mairaj, 33 -- were taken to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where doctors termed their conditions out of danger. Three vehicles were also damaged in the explosion. "Both the blasts were meant to harm law enforcers," said a policeman of the Mominabad police station. "But fortunately, they missed their target as they carried out their operation at the wrong time."

According to the Bomb Disposal Squad’s experts, the first blast was carried out through a cracker bomb and the second one through an improvised explosive device. The bomb used in the second blast was concealed in a concrete block weighing around two-and-a-half kilogramme. "There could have been massive casualties but fortunately, only a vacant taxi was damaged," said a BDS official.

Around 43 law enforcers have lost their lives in attacks and targeted killings this year. "We believe that the same militant groups who carried out earlier attacks are behind today's," said DIG West Javed Odho. "They are attacking us as we are taking actions against them."

Police have registered an FIR No. 40/14 under Sections 427, 3/4 Explosive Act and 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) against unidentified persons.

Singled out

A supporter of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement was shot dead in Ranchore Lane. Police officials said that the deceased was a burger vendor and was shot dead at his burger stall. He was identified as Shahid, 54.

Bodies of two unidentified young men were found from within the limits of the Memon Goth police station. SHO Naeem Khan said that the men were kidnapped and their hands and legs were tied with rope. Apart from being shot; the deceased were also tortured.

Separately, Amin Khan, 26, was shot dead in Ghazi Goth. The deceased was standing near his house when an unidentified person came close to him and shot him in the head. He died at the spot. In North Karachi, a mother of four children was found dead from inside her house. The police believe that her husband killed her with a hammer over a family dispute and escaped.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 16^th, 2014.