Latest tactic: Attack near police post carried out with donkey

This was the first time that militants have used an animal to carry out their activities in Pakistan.

KARACHI:

In what emerged as a new militant tactic, a bomb attached to a donkey cart blew up in front of a police security post on Saturday.

This was the first time that militants have used a domesticated animal to carry out their activities in Pakistan, though such tactics have been employed in other parts of the world. The blast occurred near the Muhammad Khan police post in Baldia Town but it detonated before the donkey cart could reach the check post. The post was damaged in the blast while the only reported casualty was the donkey.

Following the explosion, a large contingent of police and Rangers personnel reached the site and cordoned off the locality. Police officials said that the timing of the attack was well thought out. "The blast occurred when the duties of the policemen at the post were being changed," said SHO Shahzad. "There would have been a massive loss of life if the bomb was delayed by a few seconds." The officer explained that the militants had brought the donkey cart near the police post and later detonated the bomb from a distance.

Experts from the bomb disposal squad confirmed to The Express Tribune that the explosive material was planted on a donkey-cart and a remote-controlled device was used to detonate it. The bomb contained around one kilogramme of explosives, he added.

Police investigators said that the police have started interrogating donkey-cart owners in the area. No case was registered till the filing of this report.

Separately, a hand grenade explosion in Ittehad Town, Baldia Town, caused panic. Police officials said that unidentified persons hurled a hand grenade outside the residence of a person identified as Faizan Khan. Police officials said that Khan hailed from Peshawar and had recently shifted to Karachi. They added that the motive behind the attack could be personal enmity.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 1^st, 2014.