KARACHI - A series of bomb blasts en route the Chehlum procession of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) in Karachi has claimed three lives and wounded 25 others.
Despite the tall claims of the security agencies ahead of the foolproof security arrangements, militants managed to explode four improvised explosive devices (IEDs) at different locations. Following the blast, security was further tightened and Army troops reached to guard the main procession.
The procession was continued while experts of the Bomb Disposal Squad inspected the procession route again. The first blast was occurred at MA Jinnah Road a couple of minutes before the central Chehlum procession reached. Other three blasts were occurred in Orangi Town and all of them took place between 11:45 am to 1:00 pm. Investigation officers and experts of the BDS opined that three blasts were of the improvised explosive devices that contained ball bearings. They were detonated through remote controlled devices and one was a cracker bomb.
The first low-intensity blast took place near Capri Cinema on MA Jinnah Road causing panic and fear among the mourners. Investigators said the bomb was planted on a pole situated along the route of the Chehlum procession.
Law enforcers were examining the blasts when another blast took place after an hour in Orangi Town. The blast targeted the Azakhana-e-Kauser Imambargah situated in Orangi Town. The low-intensity bomb was planted alongside the wall of the Imambargah. The blast caused damage to the Imambargah, however, no loss of life was reported in the blast.
At least three people lost their lives and around two dozen others wounded when another explosion took place outside the Imambargah about 10 minutes after the first one when law enforcers, rescuers and locals rushed to the blast site.
“The first blast at the Imambargah was of low-intensity and the second one was aimed at targeting the law enforcers,” said District West and Central Police Chief DIG Javed Odho. No one was hurt in the first explosion as there was no Majlis going on in the Imambargah but the second blast was proved deadly.
There were reports that four people lost their lives in the bombing, however, DIG Odho confirmed a total of three deaths in the second deadly blast while around two dozen others were wounded. All the people who lost their lives in the second blast were the residents of the same area and became victim when they gathered on the first blast site. He said the injured persons included a police’s sub-inspector Shafi, four volunteers, two scouts and remaining others were the passersby and bystanders.
The bodies and the injured were taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.
The victims were identified as Sunny, 15, Rabi-ul-Awwal, 16, Irfan, and one was yet to be identified.
About half an hour later, another explosion took place in Orangi Town, injuring at least three children who were playing in the ground near their residences in Qasba Colony area. The injured were taken to ASH where doctors termed the condition of one child critical.