KARACHI: The death toll in the hand grenade attack on a mini-truck in Karachi on Saturday night has now climbed up to 13.
All the 13 people belonged to the same family and were returning from a wedding reception when their vehicle was targeted with a hand-grenade in the Mawach Goth area of Baldia Town. The dead included women and children while the eight were injured, three of them seriously and were being treated at the Civil Hospital.
Additional IG and Karachi police chief Imran Yaqoob Minhas said the police were investigating the grenade hit from all angles including personal enmity and terrorism. He said the victim family originally belonged to Swat and was residing in the Landhi area of Karachi.
CTD Incharge Raja Umar Khatab inspected the blast site and said there was a strong possibility that the grenade strike was launched from a moving motorcycle. According to the bomb disposal squad report, RGD1 grenade having 65 grams of explosive material was used in the attack.
Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed also took notice of the incident and sought a report from the concerned authorities. “The incident must be investigated from all possible angles,” he stressed.
The interior minister assured the Sindh government of the Centre’s full cooperation and assistance in the investigation. Sindh Governor and Chief Minister also took notice of the incident and sought a report from the IGP.
According to the initial investigations by law enforcement agencies, the incident was a grenade attack, as evidenced by remnants of the explosive found on the site.
Karachi Administrator Barrister Murtaza Wahab Siddiqui confirmed the death toll. “Doctors are doing their best to save the lives of the injured & whatever treatment or surgery that needs to take place will be done,” he said in a tweet.
Senior Superintendent Police (SSP) Keamari said the mini-truck driver had taken on board a family from Baldia Town’s Pareshan Chowk.
Imran Yaqoob acknowledged that there was a large number of people out on the streets due to Independence Day celebrations, but maintained that it would be “premature” to say anything about the incident at this point.
On the other hand, Administrator Karachi Murtaza Wahab has also taken notice of the Baldia Town blast and has contacted SSP Kemari to find out the details of the incident.
Murtaza Wahab said that investigative agencies were examining the incident from various angles and best medical aid should be provided to the injured.
The Administrator Karachi has expressed his condolences to the families of those killed in the Karachi blast.
Meanwhile, Provincial Minister for Transport Syed Owais Qadir Shah while expressing regret over the blast said that he was deeply saddened over the loss of precious lives.
The provincial minister has contacted the secretary transport and DIG traffic and directed to submit a detailed report of the incident within 24 hours.
