KARACHI: At least 10 people were killed and several others sustained injuries when a bomb exploded in a mini-truck in Baldia Town’s Mawach Goth area in Karachi on Saturday night, according to police and rescue officials.
Senior Superintendent Police (SSP) Keamari Fida Husain Janwari said that a cylinder explosion took place inside a “mini truck”. He added that the driver of the vehicle had picked up a family, including women, from Pareeshan Chowk in Baldia.
Meanwhile, Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) officials, investigating the crime scene, said that a Shehzore mini-truck was attacked from the right side with a hand grenade. “There were no explosives on the vehicle prior to the incident,” they added.
DIG South Javed Akbar Riaz said that according to initial reports, the Hyundai truck was carrying 20-25 people when the explosion occurred. He said that the bomb disposal squad had been called in to confirm the nature of the blast.
The police and Rangers personnel cordoned off the area after the incident and further investigation is underway. The deceased and injured people have been shifted to Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital.
Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, while taking notice of the incident, sought report from DG Rangers and IG Sindh. He said that the incident should be investigated from all angles, adding that federal institutions would fully cooperate with the Sindh government.
Karachi Administrator Murtaza Wahab took notice of the incident and sought details from the Keamari SSP. In a statement, he said that investigators were probing the incident from different angles.
Expressing regret over the loss of human lives, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah directed police officials and the district administration to shift the injured to nearby hospitals.
The chief minister also sought a report from the provincial transport minister about the vehicle, enquiring whether the truck belonged to Sindh or another province. He also directed the transport minister to provide details about the vehicle’s fitness certificate and the cause of the explosion.
