Qasba, Lyari blasts kill six: PPP candidate among dozens injured

The city was once again rocked by a series of bomb blasts in Qasba Colony and Lyari areas, leaving at least six persons dead while injuring dozens of others. Pakistan People's Party (PPP) candidate for PS-111 Adnan Baloch was also injured in a blast in the Kumharwara area of Lyari in the limits of Kalakot police station
According to the SHO of Pirabad police station, two men were killed while 14 were injured in a second blast that occurred outside MQM's local office, while the first explosion occurred near an Imambargah. Eyewitnesses said that Ali Imambargah and Darul Ahad Masjid are in the proximity of the blast site. MQM's local unit office was closed at the time of the blasts.
Some nearby shops and houses were damaged by the blast. Police sources said that the first blast was caused by a cracker which was lobed near the Imamarghah. Initial reports suggested that the second explosion was an improvised explosive device (IED), containing ball-bearings, planted in a pick-up truck near the MQM's unit office.
DIG West Zafar Abbas Bukhari told media persons that the IED was detonated using a timer device. He said that army personnel would have to be deployed in the city to control the worsening law and order situation for conducting upcoming elections in a peaceful manner. The casualties were rushed to Abbasi Sahaheed Hospital.
At least four persons were killed while 20 injured in another blast that occurred in the Kumharwara area of Lyari. The blast was said to have occurred near a Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) election meeting. PPP's candidate for PS-111 was also injured in blast. The bodies and injured were shifted to Lyari General Hospital and Civil Hospital Karachi.
SHO Kalakot Police Station Mohammad Azam Khan said that initial reports suggested that the explosive device was planted in a motorcycle parked near the area where the corner meeting was being held. He said that a woman and a girl were among those killed in the blast while at least 20 others were injured. Sources said that corner meeting was to be addressed by the leader of the banned Peoples Amn Committee (PAC), Uzair Jan Baloch.
Soon after the incident, local people took to the streets and forced shops to close down in the area. Jamaat-i-Islami's Ameer Munawar Hasan, MQM's chief Altaf Hussian, ANP's leader Shahi Syed and other political leaders, including those of the PPP, condemned the blasts. MQM later announced that it would observe a day of mourning day on Sunday against the Karachi blasts.
MQM urged transporters to keep their vehicles off the road. Meanwhile, Governor Sindh Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan condemned the Orangi blast and said that extremists and terrorist elements were involved in heinous crimes to fulfil their nefarious designs. The Governor Sindh has asked the authorities concerned to submit a report in this regard and ordered to mount prompt relief efforts.
Stressing the need to provide adequate security to people's life and property, the Governor ordered the authorities concerned to take fool-proof security measures to ensure the holding of the electoral process in a peaceful manner. He also urged security agencies to keep a strict watch on all criminal elements to avert any untoward incident.