At least 34 dead in Karachi Chehlum bomb blasts on Chehlum Day

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eH0S1T_wmy0












Shia Ulema Council to stage protest today
Sunday, February 07, 2010
By our correspondent

Karachi

On the second day of mourning, the Shia Ulema Council announced to stage protest rallies and demonstrations across Sindh on Sunday (today) in connection with the Chehlum blasts.

The announcement was made by Quaid-e-Millat Jafferia Pakistan, Syed Sajid Naqvi at a press conference held here at the Karachi Press Club (KPC) on Saturday.

Denouncing the recommendations made by the Islamic Ideology Council (IDC) regarding ban of religious obligations, he demanded of the government that the Ulema belonging to all schools of thought should be given representation in the IDC so that a consensus viewpoint should be evolved from this platform.

Rejecting the proposed ban on the Azadran, he said that the Azadari was constitutional and religious obligation of Millat-e-Jafferia that would continue to be taken out during Muharram.

He demanded that an independent and impartial high-level inquiry be constituted and the culprits be brought to book.

He also demanded that compensation be paid to all those who were killed during the 9th, 10th Muharram and Arbaeen indiscriminately. He expressed his thanks to the people who endorsed the strike call given by the Shia organisations. He said a high-level judicial commission be formed to investigate the factors behind these incidents that occurred within 40 days and who were the culprits who unleashed a reign of terror in the city. The cooperation extended by the people denied the impression that it was a sectarian clash and said that it was the continuation of Ashura blast and a total failure of the government and security agencies.


‘Petrol-C4 mixture used for the first time’
Investigators claim ‘effective information’ gathered after showing pictures of wanted terrorists to eyewitnesses of Chehlum blasts

Sunday, February 07, 2010
By Salis bin Perwaiz

Karachi

Petrol was mixed with C4 explosives for the first time ever on Friday to maximise the impact of the twin blasts, investigators have said, adding that effective information had been gathered by showing pictures of wanted militants and terrorists to eyewitnesses and victims.

FIRs for the blasts have also been registered at the Saddar and Ferozabad police stations, under the sections of murder and attempt-to-murder, the Explosives Act and the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Meanwhile, teams from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Federal Investigation Department (FIA) visited both blast sites again on Saturday morning to gather information. The CID Sindh team, under the supervision of SSP Mohammed Fayyaz Khan, also visited the sites and met eyewitnesses and victims of the blasts to gather details. The Sharah-e-Quaideen Flyover blast was remote-controlled, CID Sindh SSP Mohammed Fayyaz Khan said, adding that a timed device was used in the JPMC blast. SSP Khan said that this was the first time ever that a mixture of petrol was used along with deadly C4 explosives to maximise the impact of both blasts.

Moreover, more than 20 kilogrammes of explosive material was found in the TV monitor that was recovered from the JPMC soon before the explosion outside the hospital’s emergency ward, SSP Khan said. Here too, C4 and petrol had been used together. He added that they had found some devices attached to the TV monitor, but it was diffused before it could explode. This monitor had been attached to the motorcycle which had exploded later. Had the explosive material stored in the monitor not been diffused, the resulting dual explosions — in the motorbike and the monitor — would have caused far more damage, SSP Khan claimed.

The investigation is in its initial phases, and it is premature to fix responsibility for these events on groups such as the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) or the Lashker-e-Jhangvi (LJ), the CID Sindh SSP said. “We have spoken to eyewitnesses and victims of the blast and have recorded their statements. Experts have also prepared sketches of suspects with the help of eyewitnesses,” he said.

Meanwhile, FIA teams visited the sites and gathered pieces of the motorcycles involved in the two blasts, along with other evidence. A six-member FIA team also visited the JPMC and interviewed victims of the second blast. The team found some parts of a cellphone on the site, which led to the suspicion that a cellphone device was used in the JPMC blast. However, an officer told The News on the condition of anonymity that this was not an effective statement. “More than 13 people were killed in the explosion at the JPMC. The recovered parts may belong to the cellphones of one of the victims,” he said.

Another six lose lives, death toll reaches 33

Victims laid to rest, more deaths feared

By Faraz Khan

KARACHI: Thousands of people attended the funerals of the victims who lost their lives in the two massive bomb explosions, which occurred on Friday.

Death toll of the twin blasts rose to 33 as six more people died during treatment on Saturday. Sources in the hospitals of the city revealed that the death toll is expected to rise as many are still critically injured. On the other hand, police have registered two separate cases of Friday’s tragedies and believe that Al Qaeda’s involvement has initiated further investigation.

Meanwhile, Sindh Home Minister Zulfiqar Mirza claiming connection of the four Jundullah men, already in custody for involvement in Ashura explosion, with these latest explosions asked the common people to help the law enforcers to capture the culprits behind the killings of the innocent people.

He said that the central procession of Chehlum was the actual target of terrorists but due to effective security arrangements, the bombers could not enter the central procession of mourners.

On Saturday afternoon, a combined funeral of 14 victims was offered in RCD Ground, Malir while the funeral prayers of 13 others including seven MQM men, who had lost their lives when they rushed to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for rescue work and six Christians, were separately held in Jinnah Ground, Azizabad and St Patrick’s Church, Saddar Town.

In Malir RCD Ground, as many as 10,000 participants attended the funeral of 14 people, 13 of whom were killed in the Sharah-e-Faisal explosion and one at JPMC, under tight security as the entire area was cordoned off by the law enforcers and Shia volunteers. No one, neither police nor private security guards were allowed to take weapons inside the ground. Shia scouts and volunteers handled the internal security arrangements and law enforcers were present outside.

Participants were only allowed to enter after a thorough physical search. The ground was full of people and a large number of women were also present in the adjoining Imambargah.

Mourners cried loudly ‘Ya Hussain, Ya Hussain and Labaik Ya Hussain’. Shia Ulema Maulana Kausar Naqvi led the prayers while several others including Allama Abbas Kumaili, Hassan Zafar Naqvi, Nadir Abbas and Sajid Naqvi were also present on the occasion.

Later, the 13 deceased were laid to rest in Old Model Colony graveyard while one Asif was buried at Wadi-e-Hussain graveyard. In Azizabad’s Jinnah Ground, seven MQM men including Saddar Town UC Nazim Mohammad Khalil were laid to rest in Shuhda graveyard in Yasinabad, though the six Christians belonging to a family died in the JPMC blast were laid to rest in Gora Qabrustan.

Due to fear and panic over the yesterday’s disaster and also the three-day mourning call by the Shia Ulema Council and MQM, the city observed a complete strike on Saturday and all roads and streets wore a deserted look as people preferred to stay indoors as even all the major markets and shopping hubs remained closed while public transport also remained very thin. However, law enforcers were put on high alert as per routine to avoid any untoward incident, especially declaring sensitive all the mosques, Imambargahs and other worship places, heavy contingent of law enforcers were also deployed around them. The strike also caused difficulties for the citizens especially because of absence of transportation as transporters also supported the mourning call and people seemed to travel by sitting on the rooftops of the overcrowded busses on roads.

Examinations scheduled for Saturday in various universities were also postponed whereas attendance remained low in offices and schools.

Ferozabad police have registered a FIR No 158/10 against unidentified culprits for the first blast, which occurred near Nursery Bridge at a bus carrying mourners, while another FIR No 68/10 was registered at Saddar police station against unidentified persons for the JPMC blast.

With the passage of two days, the investigators are unable to blame the group involved behind the double blasts but they have got some leads in the case like they found the real chassis number of the motorcycle used in the first blast and getting the footage of the cameras installed in the JPMC. “There are more chances to detect the culprits with the help of footages.

With these footages, we would ask the four arrested Jundullah men in the Ashura blast connection to identify them,” said Special Investigation Unit chief Raja Omer Khattab. “The culprits can be nabbed easily through the chassis number because usually they use purchased motorcycles and then punch their numbers to carry out terror activity.”

However, an anti-terrorism court on Saturday handed over four activists of the defunct outfit Jundullah to the police till February 13 that would help the investigators and it should be noted here that Jundullah has connections with the Al Qaeda and Taliban. “As the modus operandi was similar with the Ashura blast this suggests that the same group is behind these two blasts as well,” said Khattab. “This group works quite similar like the Al Qaeda as they operate in groups of four to five people and might know each other.”

On the other hand, CID SSP Fayyaz Khan said that his department has recorded the statements of various people residing in the area where the first explosion took place and are trying to make sketches of the culprits with the help of the eyewitness and are also approaching the people with photos of wanted and suspected persons to identify the culprits.

However, it is believed that there was a camera installed in the area and investigators are trying to get the footage. “We are not only investigating the case from one side but we are investigating the case from all angles and gathering the record of the people involved in such activities whether they are imprisoned or absconders,” Khan said. Furthermore, experts said it looks like one person made all the three bombs and added that the first bomb was a remote controlled one, second a timer and the third bomb, which was defused had dual detonators and it was suppose to explode with the intensity of the second blast, but someone might have changed its position keeping it away from the second bomb. Also it is believed that C-4 explosive was used.

Meanwhile, JPMC has started treating patients after the repairing work of the accidental and emergency ward was completed. Incharge of the department Dr Seemin Jamali stressed for improved security measures for the hospital.

Funeral prayers of Karachi blast victims offered
Updated at: 1135 PST, Saturday, February 06, 2010
KARACHI: The joint funeral prayers of 14 people martyred in yesterday’s twin planted bombs on Sharah-e-Faisal have been offered, Geo News reported Saturday.

Allama Kausar Abbas Naqvi led the funeral prayers.

People in large number gathered at Husaini Mission RCD Ground well ahead the funeral prayers were offered, as Karachi presented a deserted look.

Heavy contingents of police and Rangers kept sealed the areas around the funeral ground. The markets and commercial centers yesterday announced to remain closed.

The leaders of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) also were present on the occasion.

All the deceased would be laid to rest at Model Colony cemetery.

According to Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) announcement, the funeral prayers of their workers martyred in bombing at Jinnah Hospital, would be offered after Zuhr prayers at Jinnah Ground.

The funeral services for the Christian family who were killed in bombing at Jinnah Hospital, would be observed at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral today and they would be laid to rest at the cemetery near FTC on Sharah-e-Faisal.

The deceased whose funeral prayers were offered included Anjum Hussain, Babar Ali, Zahid Ali, Asif Hussain, Kazim Hussain, Shehanshah Hussain, Salman Hussain, Shahid Ali s/o Rajab Ali, Toqeer Hussain s/o Zameer Hussain, Muhammed Ali s/o Muhammed Ashfaque, Ahmed s/o Muhammed Taqi, Zain s/o Sohrab Hyder, Anwar Abbas and Amir Hussain.
Chehlum martyrs laid to rest
Sunday, February 07, 2010
By Shamim Bano

Karachi

Thousands of members of the Shia community attended a mass funeral on Saturday for those who were killed in the twin bomb blasts on Friday.

Beating their chests and shouting slogans of “Ya Hussain,” they laid to rest 13 martyrs in the old Model colony graveyard; one body was taken to the Wadi-e-Hussain graveyard on the Super Highway.

About 30 people died and more than 100 were wounded on Friday during a blast near Nursery and another outside the emergency department of the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC).

The funeral prayers of the martyred Azadaran were held in Old RCD ground adjacent to Hussaini Sifarat Khana.

The prayers were led by Moulana Kauser Naqvi, and attended by a large number of Shia leaders, including

Allama Abbas Kumaili, Allama Sajid Naqvi, and Auon Naqvi.

There was high alert in the city during the funeral processions with a heavy deployment of police force and paramilitary forces.

Kumaili thanked the people for observing a complete peaceful and shutter-down strike.

The Jafferia Alliance has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the government to arrest the culprits behind the blasts.

If these demands are not met, the alliance will stage a ‘shroud-clad’ (Kafanposh) sit-in outside the Chief Minister House.

The future line of action regarding the sit-in and other protests will be announced on Sunday during the Soyem of the martyrs.

Funeral prayers of Karachi martyrs to be offered shortly
Updated at: 1015 PST, Saturday, February 06, 2010
KARACHI: The combined funeral prayers of 14 people martyred in yesterday’s twin planted bombs on Sharah-e-Faisal will shortly be offered in Malir area of Karachi, Geo News reported Saturday.

Allama Kausar Naqvi will lead the funeral prayers.

People in large number gathered at Husaini Mission RCD Ground well ahead the funeral prayers, as Karachi presented a deserted look with no traffic on roads.

Heavy contingents of police and Rangers have kept sealed the areas around the funeral ground. The markets and commercial centers yesterday announced to remain closed. All the business centers are closed in the city.

According to Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) announcement, the funeral prayers of their workers martyred in bombing at Jinnah Hospital, would be offered after Zuhr prayers at Jinnah Ground.

The funeral services for the Christian people who were killed in bombing at Jinnah Hospital, would be observed at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral today and they would be laid to rest at the cemetery near FTC on Sharah-e-Faisal.





Geo airs exclusive footage of Jinnah Hospital blast
Updated at: 2215 PST, Friday, February 05, 2010
KARACHI: Geo TV has received an exclusive CCTV footage of the Jinnah Hospital blast, in which at least 13 people were killed and dozen others wounded on Friday.


The footage shows the scenes before and after the blast in the hospital’s emergency ward.

It shows the blast took place outside the ward at a time when the injured of the Nursery blast were being shifted to hospital.

The targeted ward has been shown from four different angels in the footage.

The first angle shows scenes from entrance of the ward before and after the blast. In the footage, an injured, who was being moved to ward, fell from the stretcher following the blast.

The stampede and panic created after the blast could also be seen in the footage.

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FACTBOX-Pakistan commercial hub Karachi gripped by violence
05 Feb 2010 12:43:18 GMT
Source: Reuters
KARACHI, Feb 5 (Reuters) - A suspected suicide bomber on a motorcycle killed 12 Shi'ite Muslims in a crowded bus in Pakistan's commercial capital on Friday, hospital and police officials said.

Hours later, the hospital where some of the 40 wounded were being treated was hit by a huge explosion. A senior police official told Reuters that several hundred people were present at the scene of the second blast.

Following are some facts about the city:

WHO LIVES IN KARACHI?

* Karachi is the capital of Sindh province and has a population of around 18 million.

* Mohajirs, the descendants of Urdu-speakers who migrated from India after the creation of Pakistan in 1947, are the biggest community and dominate the city's administration.

* Karachi is also home to the largest concentration of ethnic Pashtuns outside North West Frontier Province. According to some estimates, more than 3.5 million Pashtuns live in the city.

* It is home to the central bank and main stock exchange and is also the country's main industrial base.

* The country's two main ports are in Karachi and most foreign companies investing in Pakistan have offices there.

HISTORY OF VIOLENCE IN KARACHI

* Karachi has a long history of ethnic, religious and sectarian violence. It was a main target of al Qaeda-linked militants after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States when Pakistan joined the U.S.-led campaign against militancy, and foreigners were attacked in the city several times.

* One of Pakistan's worst bomb attacks took place in Karachi in October 2007 during a welcome-home rally for self-exiled former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. About 140 people were killed. Bhutto was assassinated in the city of Rawalpindi just over two months later.

* Things have been relatively calm over the past two years as militants have focused attacks on cities in the north and across the northwest. But a bomb at a minority Shi'ite Muslim procession that killed 43 people on Dec. 28 fuelled concern that the militants were expanding their fight to the city.

POLITICS OF KARACHI

* The MQM, which mostly represents Mohajirs, is the dominant political force. In a 2008 general election it won 17 of 19 National Assembly seats in the city, while the other two went to President Asif Ali Zardari's Pakistan People's Party (PPP).

* The MQM controls the city government and is also part of a provincial coalition government led by the PPP as well as the federal government. The PPP dominates in rural areas of Sindh province.

* The MQM has been a strong and vocal critic of the Taliban, and also says that some Pashtuns are involved in crime, such as land grabbing and sheltering the militants.

WHAT IS AT STAKE?

* Karachi is a major transit point for military and other supplies to Afghanistan for the U.S.- and NATO-led anti-insurgency effort. Any trouble can directly affect those supplies.

* As the commercial hub, any trouble could disturb industrial activity, which can have serious consequences for the country's economy. According to officials, Karachi contributes 68 percent of the government's total revenue and 25 percent of GDP.

* While stock investors are getting used to trouble in the northwest, violence in Karachi has a more immediate market impact.

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Karachi mourners bleed again

* 27 killed, 100 injured in twin blasts
* Explosions rip through bus carrying Shia mourners to chehlum procession, hospital treating injured in bus-bombing
* Bomb disposal official describes attack as suicide bombings, police say devices detonated using cell phones
* Shia alliance announces strike, ANP and PPP announce three days of mourning

By Faraz Khan

KARACHI: At least 27 people were killed and over 100 others – including women and children – wounded in twin blasts that ripped through the provincial capital as the city marked Hazrat Imam Hussain’s (RA) chehlum on Friday.

According to sources, the death toll is expected to rise, as some of those injured are in critical condition. Provincial Health Minister Saghir Ahmed said 15 people were in critical condition.

The first explosion at around 3:03pm on Shahrah-e-Faisal targeted a bus taking 30-to-40 mourners to the city’s main chehlum procession at Nishtar Park, killing at least 13 people and injuring another 50. City police chief Waseem Ahmad told the media while a motorbike fitted with an improvised explosive device was used to carry out the attack, it was unclear if a bomber was riding the bike or it was parked and detonated when the bus passed by. The second explosion, which killed around 12 people and wounded dozens of others, took place at around 4:55pm at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre – where those injured or killed in the first explosion were being taken – amid a crowd of victims’ relatives and the media. The blast at the medical centre targeted the building’s parking lot in front of the emergency ward. Several vehicles, including ambulances, were also damaged in the attack.

Doctor Seemi Jamali, head of Jinnah Hospital, urged the government to provide security assistance and training for a “war-like situation”.

The attacks were carried out within two hours of each other despite tight security in the city.

Witnesses said the Rangers and police stationed at the hospital were “nowhere to be seen” at the time of the blast.

CID SSP (Operations) Fayyaz Khan said the latest attacks did not appear to have any link with another blast on December 28 – which targeted Karachi’s main Muharram procession – as they were carried out using devices connected to cell phones and placed inside boxes positioned on bikes.

However, other officials said the attack on December 28 and the latest bombings could be connected.

Suicide bombings: While witnesses corroborated policemen’s claim that devices were detonated, the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) described both attacks as “suicide bombings”.

Also, the bomb disposal squad defused a bomb weighing 20-25 kilogrammes and placed inside a computer monitor in front of Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre’s emergency ward. BDS official Muneer Sheikh described the attacks as “suicide bombings”, and said a dead body found from the site of the first blast could be of the bomber.

He said at least 15-20 kilogrammes of explosives were used in the first attack, while around 10 kilogrammes were used in the second. He said nuts, bolts and ball bearings were also found from the sites of the attack, and the “bombings appear similar to the Ashura attack”.

CID SP (Investigation) Mazhar Mashwani said the engine and chassis numbers of the motorcycles used in the explosions were punched, and the broken parts of the motorcycles and other materials had been taken for chemical examinations.

Some senior officials suspect the involvement of the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LJ), while others believe Jundullah could be behind the attacks. Fayyaz Khan said, “This kind of modus operandi was earlier used by the LJ in the attack on Shia scholar and Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal leader Allama Hasan Turabi. But SSP Raja Omer Khattab told the media that Jundullah could be behind the attacks. Khattab also said that devices had been detonated using remote controls.

Police said they were investigating who was responsible for an apparently sophisticated and well-organised attack designed to inflict maximum casualties.

Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah announced Rs 500,000 each for the heirs of those killed and Rs 100,000 for the injured. The chief minister condemned the attacks and sought a report immediately, according to an official handout. The chief minister also appealed to citizens to remain calm, and said terrorists were conspiring to disrupt peace in Karachi.

Three-day mourning: A spokesman for the Sindh education minister announced that schools and colleges in the province would remain open on Saturday. Separately, the president and the prime minister also condemned the blast as the ANP and the MQM announced three days of mourning.

Shia strike: According to a private TV channel, the Jaafria Alliance would go on complete strike in Karachi today (Saturday) to protest against the blasts. The alliance has also given the government a 48-hour deadline to take action against those responsible.

In addition, the media reported that transporters and businessmen in Karachi would suspend their activities today in protest at the attacks. The US embassy in Islamabad also condemned the terrorist attacks.


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MQM workers funeral prayers offered
Updated at: 1400 PST, Saturday, February 06, 2010
KARACHI: The joint funeral prayers of seven workers of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), martyred in yesterday’s twin planted bombs on Sharah-e-Faisal have been offered, Geo News reported Saturday.

Maulana Feroz Rehmani led the funeral prayers attended by people in huge number.

The funeral prayers were offered at Jinnah Ground of Azizabad.

Strict security arrangements have been organized around the funeral site. Also, walk-through gates have been installed.

The MQM leaders including Shoaib Bukhari, Hyder Abbas Rizvi, Farooq Sattar, Sardar Ahmed attended the funeral.

The deceased whose funeral prayers have been offered include UC Nazim Muhammed Khalil, Kalim alias Khurram, Muhammed Shafi, Ghulam Murtaza, Muhammed Kashif, Muhammed Jamil and Shahid.