‘Mishandled’ explosion: Suspects killed in Saddar blast were nationalists say Investigators

The suspects belonged to Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz.

KARACHI:

The two suspects who were killed in an explosion in Saddar on Friday belonged to a nationalist party, claimed police investigators on Saturday.

In what they claim is a major breakthough, the police also revealed that the suspects were not linked to any militant group or the Taliban.

Two people were killed and two others were wounded in the powerful explosion outside the Jama Masjid Muhajir Makki. The blast occurred after two motorcycles collided with each other, however, the bomb disposal squad experts said that four kilogrammes of explosives were planted on a motorcycle, which exploded due to some mechanical fault or mishandling.

The police investigators claimed that both the men killed in the explosion were involved. “Both of them were terrorists,” claimed Crime Investigation Department’s Counter-Terrorism Unit in-charge Raja Omar Khattab, while talking to The Express Tribune. “They were not Taliban. They were nationalists.”

The deceased suspects belonged to a Sindhi nationalist party, Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz (JSMM). One of them was identified as Abdul Fateh, who hails from Nawabshah and lives in Karachi’s Paposh Nagar area of Jamhoria Colony. He was a father of a three-year-old son.  The second man killed in the explosion was not a passerby but Fateh’s companion, said an investigating officer. “Both of them were going on a single motorcycle,” said Karachi police chief AIG Ghulam Qadir Thebo. The second man killed in the explosion was later identified as Muhammad Usman Panwar, who hails from Jamshoro and lives in Karachi’s Gulzar-e-Hijri area of Sohrab Goth.

The police were able to identify the two men with the help of fingerprints. However, the investigators have yet to ascertain their target and are looking at all possibilities. There are reports that the two of them were on their way to target Pashtun-based areas where the internally displaced persons (IDPs) have arrives, said one officer.

“We are not sure and we cannot say anything about their motive or target until our investigations are completed,” added Khattab. “But we will be able to conclude the case very soon as we have received important clues to probe the case.” The investigators have also obtained cellphone calls data and are busy getting details about this group and other group members. They are also seeking the help of intelligence agencies.

Suspects detained

Meanwhile, the police have also detained few suspects, including the family members of both the men killed in the explosion. The suspects were being questioned at undisclosed locations. The police and intelligence agencies have also enhanced the surveillance of the key areas where nationalist parties have a stronghold and enhanced snap-checking and patrolling in these areas.

Case registered

On the other hand, the police have registered the case of the blast on behalf of the state against unidentified persons at Brigade police station of District East. They have imposed section 7 of the anti-terrorism act and the explosives act.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 6^th, 2014.