Karachi: One hour... Seven blasts... five locations Shock, anger and confusion

[Naveed Yaseen]

By M. Zeeshan Azmat
Abdul Azeem, a resident of Hafiz Mill (Gali No.1, Hasrat Mohani Colony of Pak Colony) was among those who were seriously injured as a result of the series of blasts Monday evening in the city.

His younger brother, Abdul Aleem, told The News that Azeem came home after duty at a local textile factory. “He was about to enter the house when an unidentified vehicle parked just outside blew up,” he said. Aleem was about to leave the house himself for prayers at 7:35pm, but had to rush to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital (ASH) with Azeem to ensure medical treatment for the latter.

He said that his elder brother’s left eye was seriously damaged by shrapnel from the blast. “Even though doctors are trying their best, it is quite probable that he will lose sight in his left eye,” he said.

Azeem also added that residents of the area confirmed that the vehicle used for the blasts did not belong to any of them. He further said that the explosion in the unidentified vehicle damaged houses numbered B-10 and B-11. Later, when two unidentified people on an unknown motorbike lobbed a hand grenade in the area, the resulting explosion almost destroyed houses D-426 and D-427. Five men, three women and eight children were injured, and the perpetrators of the blast fled.

Local businessman Imran Ali Khan informed The News that he was busy shopping for his children near Bacha Chowk when the first blast occurred. “Within no time, I heard a second blast and after a short interval of time, two more blasts occurred,” Khan said, adding that children, bystanders around pushcarts and bus conductors were among those injured.

Twelve-year-old Mohammed Azam was injured in the blast that occurred near Shahrah-e-Noor Jahan. Azam told The News that he was playing close to the truck which blew up. The truck belonged to his uncle, Abdul Rehman, who worked at a private company. Rehman had parked his vehicle at the same spot for the past few years. On Monday, he had parked it there a few minutes before the blast.

Azam’s father, Lal Muhammad, said that the truck was empty and had nothing loaded in it. According to Muhammad, between the time Rehman parked his vehicle and came inside the house, someone probably placed a timed device under the vehicle. The device exploded soon after it was placed there.

The uncle of four-year-old Sami Ullah, son of Inanyat Ullah, told The News that Sami was wounded at Qazba Mor when he was going to a nearby shop to purchase groceries. “His father went to offers prayers, and so the elders at home asked him to go and purchase groceries. When Sami Ullah reached the corner of the road, something hit him in the chest,” the uncle said. Sami Ullah was taken to the ASH. He seemed distraught and was crying continuously, as people around him kept inspecting his wounds.

Awami National Party (ANP) Sindh leader Amin Khattak said that he was at the party office located at Bacha Khan Chowk when the first explosion occurred. “I thought a tyre had burst, but a party worker later informed me that a bomb blast had taken place near the office. I rushed outside to inspect the situation,” he said.

Khattak added that when he reached the scene, he saw a crater in the middle of the road. Several injured people were lying in the street and pleading for help. By the time other people rushed to help them, the second blast occured, he said.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=122931