Karachi: At least three people were killed and 30 injured in twin bomb blasts targeting Shiite Muslims in Pakistan’s port city of Karachi on Tuesday, officials said.
The blasts occurred as Shiites observed the 40th day of mourning of the martyrdom of Hussain, the grandson of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).
The first blast came near the wall of a Shiite mosque in Orangi Town, a bustling western suburb, followed by another powerful explosion a short distance away.
An official from Abbasi Shaheed Hospital said three bodies were brought to the hospital along with 30 injured.
“Both the bombs were detonated within brief intervals, the second was quite fatal,” Chaudhry Asad, a senior police officer told AFP.
Timer devices
City police chief Shahid Hayat told reporters that both were timer devices.
A third bomb exploded near Numaish Chowrangi in the eastern district but no casuality was reported. The spot was supposed to be on the route of the Shiite procession.
Pakistan has seen a steep rise in sectarian violence after a deadly clash between Sunni and Shiite Muslim groups in the cantonment city of Rawalpindi in November that left around a dozen people dead.
Authorities switched off cellphone services in dozens of cities across the country on Tuesday as a security measure, while 10,000 soldiers were put on standby.
Pakistan is rife with sectarian clashes, with Sunni militant groups linked to Al Qaida and the Taliban often attacking gatherings by Shiites, who constitute some 20 per cent of the country’s population.
