KARACHI - At least 40 members of Jamaat-i-Islami sustained wounds on Wednesday after the party's Youm-e-Istahsal rally was attacked in Gulshan-e-Iqbal area.
JI spokesperson confirmed that the blast took place near the main truck that was part of the rally. Meeran Yousuf, the media coordinator to the Sindh health minister said that a majority of the injured received "very minor injuries", while some were discharged immediately.
East Senior Superintendent of Police Sajid Sadozai said two unidentified persons riding a motorcycle threw an RGD-1 grenade at the rally and fled.
A heavy contingent of police and Rangers reached the site after the blast. The banned Sindhudesh Revolutionary Army (SRA) claimed responsibility for the attack through social media. In a tweet, JI chief Sirajul Haq termed the bomb attack a "cowardly act".
Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman telephoned JI Chief Siraj ul Haq and condemned the cowardly attack.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto and Federal Minister Fawad Chaudhry also condemned the blast on JI rally blamed India for having a hand behind it. Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi ameer, Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman in a hurriedly called press conference at Idara Noor-e-Haq demanded Sindh government and security agencies to ensure arrest of terrorists involved in bomb attack on JI rally.
