KARACHI: At least 10 have been killed and 13 others injured in a blast that took place in the Paracha Chowk area of the Shershah neighborhood on Saturday. A search and rescue operation is currently underway and the toll may be higher.
Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Hospital Trauma Centre head Dr. Sabir Memon confirmed that 10 people were killed in the blast.
He also confirmed that among the injured, four are in critical condition.
Police said the blast took place in a gas pipeline running through a nullah located in the area, causing immense damage to the private bank’s building which was constructed on the nullah.
Rescue officials arrived at the scene to shift the injured to the Civil Hospital for treatment.
Eyewitnesses on the spot claim that there are many people who are buried underneath the debris of the building. Two excavators have been called to the site to remove the debris and rescue any persons trapped there.
A bomb disposal unit (BDU) has arrived at the location of the blast. Police and Rangers officials have cordoned off the area.
The BDU will be able to begin investigating the cause of the blast after police conclude their search operation.
An eyewitness
said that since it is a Saturday today, only nine employees of the bank were reporting for duty.
He said the bank was about to shift to a new place but it was “our bad luck” that the blast took place before the branch could be shifted to the new location.
The eyewitness said that there were a few bank customers who were buried beneath the debris as well.
Another eyewitness said that he was having petrol filled in his motorcycle when the blast took place.
The eyewitness said he saw a few people fall into the nullah, underneath the building, when the blast took place.
