Eight-year-old killed in Karachi blasts

Around a dozen bystanders, including 5 children, were also wounded in the back to back explosions.

KARACHI: An eight-year-old boy was killed and around a dozen bystanders, including five children, were wounded in back to back explosions in Karachi on Sunday night.

Police and eyewitnesses reported three blasts close to the Jafria Imambargah in the Orangi Town neighbourhood. SHO Fasiuz Zaman said motorcycle-borne gunmen threw two hand grenades near the Imambargah before unidentified miscreants detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) in the vicinity.

The third blast – which came as law enforcers were busy in cordoning off the area – proved fatal, killing eight-year-old Aqib. A dozen others, including five children, were injured in the blast.

According to SHO Zaman, the victims, who were aboard a bus, were residents of the same area and were on their way to a wedding.

Experts from the bomb disposal squad said the IED used in the attack weighed around half-a-kilogramme and was planted inside a garbage dump.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Orangi Town SP Sajid Sadozai said the same Imambargah was attacked a few months ago in the same fashion.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 26^th, 2014.