Death toll from attack on Ismaili community bus rises to 46

KARACHI: The death toll from a gruesome terrorist attack on an Ismaili community bus in Karachi rose to 46 on Thursday as an injured woman succumbed to her wounds at the hospital.

Gunmen stormed the bus belonging to the minority community near Safoora Chowrangi Wednesday morning, killing at least 45 people and leaving severely injured.

But according to latest updates from the hospital on Thursday, another injured woman expired during medical treatment at the Aga Khan hospital, raising the number of dead to 46.

Sources in the community identified the woman as Nafeesa Farooq. The said that he funeral prayers would be offered at Al-Azhar garden at 4:00PM after which she would be buried at a graveyard in Sakhi Hassan area.

The latest casualty comes as 44 victims of the deadly gun-attack were laid to rest at a graveyard in Sakhi Hassan area after their funeral prayers were offered at the Al-Azhar Garden colony under tight security.

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‘Day of mourning’

A day of mourning was being observed across the country with the national flag flying at half-mast at government buildings to honour the victims of the massacre.

The Sindh government had also announced a day of mourning on Thursday following the gruesome attack. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Awami National Party (ANP), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Tahafuz-e-Azadari Council Pakistan also announced a nationwide day of mourning to be observed today.

The Shia Ulema Council have said that would observe three days of mourning.

Traffic and public transport was sparse in Karachi while commercial centres and private schools remained closed. The Karachi Tajir Ittehad Council had announced that shops in the city will remain closed on Thursday.

Examinations for matriculation and intermediate and papers at all universities have been postponed.