13 persons killed as police vehicles attacked in Karachi
13 February, 2014
KARACHI: According to media reports, at least 13 persons were killed and more than 30, including civilians, were wounded Thursday morning in an explosion targeting a police bus near Razzaqabad police training college in Karachi's Shah Latif Town.
The attack came early in the morning. "Apparently an explosive-laden car hit the police bus transporting officials for security duty," Muhammad Iqbal, a senior police official, told AFP.
Rescue teams reached the site of attack whereas the victims were shifted to Jinnah Hospital and a private hospital nearby in the locality.
Doctor Semi Jamali at Karachi's Jinnah hospital confirmed that they had received eight bodies. At least 36 injured officers were hospitalised, ten of whom were in critical condition, she said.
According to initial reports, the blast was carried out using a Suzuki hi-roof vehicle and 25 to 30 kilograms of explosives were used in the attack.
Police said that more than 50 officers were boarding the vehicle at the time of attack, which occurred in the eastern district of Karachi close to the national highway.
"Around 50-55 policemen were boarding the bus and going somewhere for duty from their training centre," Iqbal said adding that police suspect it was a suicide attack.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.
The rear portion of the targeted bus was completely destroyed in the explosion.
Moreover, additional contingents of police, Rangers and the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) reached the spot and cordoned off the area as a probe into the incident went underway.
The intensive blast was heard in a radius of two kilometres.
Moreover, President Mamnoon Hussain, Balochistan Chief Minister Abdul Malik Baloch, Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain and the Majlis Wahdat-i-Muslimeen (MWM) issued statements in condemnation of the attack.
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