KARACHI - Two people were wounded as Karachi offices of Nawa-i-Waqt and Business Recorder groups came under bomb attacks in Guru Mandar area on Monday.
Two attackers on a motorbike threw a low-intensity bomb at the guards’ checkpost outside the building of Business Recorder Group, wounding two guards on duty.
They then rushed toward the Nawa-i-Waqt Group building 200 metres away and threw another crude bomb before fleeing the scene. Luckily, the second bomb did not explode and was defused by police.
Witnesses said the assailants were clad in Shalwar Kamiz and aged between 22 and 26.
The first bomb also damaged the main gate of the office and vehicles parked outside.
Nawa-i-Waqt watchman Mirza said that a youth aged around 25 came closer to the main gate and hurled an object at them. He said they could not figure out immediately it was a bomb. Zakir Awan, a visitor standing there, said that the bomb first hit Mirza before landing on the ground.
“At first we could not understand what happened but soon realised that a bomb was lobbed... We rushed towards the main gate but the militant managed to escape along with his accomplice on the motorbike,” he added.
Police took half an hour to reach the spot. The BDS personnel later defused the bomb which according to them carried half a kilogram of explosives, more than that of a hand grenade, along with ball bearings and pallets.
Asif Zuberi, Chairman of Aaj TV and Business Recorder, told The Nation: “It was the sixth incident of its sort and each time reason of the attack was different.” He, however, did not speak of the possible reason for the attack.
He believed that the location of the office made it an easy target. Zuberi condemned the incident and urged to intensify the security of media offices.
SP Pir Muhammad Shah, who visited Nawa-i-Waqt/The Nation/Waqt News offices, said that they were unable to provide security to each and every media office in the city.
Meanwhile, government officials and politicians from various parties condemned the attacks on the media offices.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah and Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan said the government would not tolerate attacks on the media. The CM directed the officials to present a report at the earliest. He also directed Karachi AIG Shahid Hayat to track and arrest the culprits.
Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon, condemning the attack, said that such cowardly acts could not dampen the spirit of the independent media or curtail freedom of expression.
PTI spokesman Dawa Khan Sabir, during his visit to Nawa-i-Waqt/The Nation/Waqt News offices, condemned the attack and lamented that terrorist attacks were rampant despite deployment of police and Rangers across the city.