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2 killed, over 20 injured in bomb blast in Pakistan's Karachi

27 April 2013 22:57 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. At least two people were killed and over 20 others injured Saturday night in a bomb blast in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi, APA reports quoting local media.

According to the reports, the bomb blast took place near the office of political party Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) or United National Movement in the Qasba Colony area of Karachi, killing one person on the spot and injuring over 20 others.

Police, security forces and rescue teams rushed to the site and shifted the body and the injured to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and Qatar Hospital of the city.

Twelve injured were shifted to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where one of the wounded person succumbed to his injuries.

According to the hospital officials, at least five of the injured were in critical condition and they were being treated in the intensive care unit of the hospital.

Following the bomb attack, emergency was declared in the hospitals and medical staff was ordered to keep alert to deal with any alarming situation.

Deputy Inspector General of police Zafar Iqbal Bukhari said that the bomb was planted under a Suzuki Pickup vehicle and was detonated with a remote control device.

MQM leader Wasay Jalil said that at the time of blast the office was closed and no party worker got hurt in the attack.

All the victims were local residents of the area who were on the street or in their houses nearby.

After detonating the bomb, the unknown miscreants on their run also threw a hand grenade at a nearby shrine, injuring two people, police said.

Pakistan's caretaker Prime Minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso condemned the attack and asked the concerned authorities to take action against the culprits.

MQM chief Altaf Hussain, who is in self exile in the United Kingdom, condemned the incident and urged the government to take immediate action against those responsible for the attack.

Pakistan's Federal Interior Minister Malik Habib took the notice of the incident and sought an immediate report from the police chief of the city besides ordering a security high alert in Karachi.

No group or militant organization claimed responsibility for the attack yet.

Saturday night's attack was the fourth bomb attack on political parties in Karachi during this week.

Earlier on Friday night, the banned militant outfit Tehrik-i- Taliban Pakistan (TTP) bombed a political gathering of Awami National Party (ANP) or "People's National Party" that killed 11 people besides injuring 40 others.

While on Tuesday and Thursday, Pakistani Taliban attacked political offices of the MQM in different areas of Karachi, killing 10 people and leaving over two dozen others injured.

After Pakistani government announced May 11 as the date for general elections, the TTP warned the public to keep themselves away from political gatherings of Pakistan People's Party (PPP), ANP and MQM, the allies of Pakistan's previous government.