Blasts hit MQM office, PPP meeting; 6 dead, over 65 hurt

KARACHI: Poll-related violence gripped the city once again as three bomb attacks rocked the city on Saturday, killing six people and injuring more than 65 others.

The first two attacks took place at the election office of the MQM in Peerabad, while the third targeted a corner meeting of the PPP in Lyari.

The injured include veteran PPP leader and NA-249 candidate Aziz Memon as well as a candidate for the Lyari provincial assembly seat, Adnan Baloch. The Additional Inspector-General of Police, Iqbal Mehmood, told The News that time bombs had been used in both the incidents.

He said that the first bomb in Peerabad contained about one kilogram of high explosives and the second bomb contained two kilograms of high explosive material which was placed in a container under a Suzuki. The bomb also contained ball bearings and nuts and bolts.

The first explosion took place in Qasba Colony No-21/2, Peerabad near the MQM office and close to the Ali Murtaza Imambargah, followed by another huge explosion nearby.

Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Zafar Abbas Bukhari, of the West Range, said that the police shifted the victims to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (ASH) with the help of rescue teams.

During investigation, it was found that unidentified armed men riding on motorcycles had entered the area where they lobbed a hand grenade near a unit office of the MQM. Just a few minutes after the hand grenade went off, a car, which had been parked opposite the Ali Murtaza Imambargah, exploded, killing two passers-by and injuring many others and damaging the MQM office and the walls and the main gate of the Imambargah.

According to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital sources, they had received 27 injured from the Peerabad explosions in which two unidentified persons died while the injured included Athar, Shoaib, Anas, 12, Roqaiya Anees, 12, Ali Anees, 11, and Yasir.

Soon after the blasts in Peerabad, a huge explosion took place in the Kumharwara area of Lyari.

Two of the injured in that blast died at the Civil Hospital later. The CHK MLO, Qarar Abbasi, identified the deceased as Muskan, 10, and Kamran, 25.

The police personnel with rescue teams immediately rushed to the scene of the crime where they found that the explosion had taken place at a corner meeting of the PPP.

DIG Ameer Ahmed Sheikh of South Range said that a corner meeting of the PPP candidates from PS-111 and NA-249, Adnan Baloch and Aziz Memon, respectively, was being held which was attended by the residents and activists of the PPP. Suddenly a huge explosion took place in which about 20 people were injured.

The injured were rushed to the Lyari General Hospital and the Civil Hospital where the condition of Aziz Memon was stated to be stable.

DIG Sheikh said that the bomb had been attached to a motorcycle which was parked near the venue of the meeting.

Meanwhil,e MQM chief Altaf Hussain and Awami National Party (ANP) Sindh chief Senator Shahi Syed said separately that their parties would fully participate in general elections despite terrorist attacks on their leaders and workers.