Re: Terrorist Attacks in Pakistan - 2013
ANP leader escapes bomb attack; four injured
By Danish Rafiuqe
KARACHI: A local leader of Awami National Party (ANP), Muhammad Din Shah Afridi, on Sunday narrowly escaped a murderous attack carried out by exploding improvised explosive device (IED) through a remote control that left at least four people injured.
According to police, the bomb was planted in a motorcycle parked along a road in Khyber Chowk in Ittehad Town area within the limits of Mochko police station.
Police said that the explosive devise went off when a vehicle bearing registration No ASE-386 passed from the blast site.
As a result, four people, Abdul Rehman, Kamran and Hussain traveling in a car with the ANP leader, and a passerby Imran received injuries.
The injured were rushed to hospitals for treatment.
Following the incident, a heavy contingent of Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) rushed to the scene and cordoned off the area to avoid any further untoward incidents.
The Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) personnel also reached there.
A BDS official told media that the bomb weighed around eight kilogrammes.
It contained four kilogrammes of ball bearings and other explosive material.
He said that the explosive material was placed on the fuel tank of the motorcycle.
Besides partially damaging the vehicle of ANP leader, the powerful blast also damaged an ambulance, two rickshaws, a taxi, a nearby private hospital and a medical store.
The explosion also hit an electricity transformer installed there. Resultantly, smooth supply of electricity was suspended in the area.
ANP leader Basheer Jan, while talking to Daily Times, condemned the incident and demanded of the government to take stern action against the culprits behind the murderous attack.
He also demanded exemplary punishment to the perpetuators of the blast.
He said that Afridi, along with his cousin and security guards, was on his way to attend a Jirga, called by local business community and notables of the locality to devise a strategy against the rising anti-social activities, particularly extortions in the area.
He informed that Afridi was a contractor, besides being a social and political worker. He was also ex-councilor of UC-2, Baldia Town.
Police officials believed that Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) might have targeted the ANP leader. According to an official, Afridi himself was receiving telephones calls demanding extortion.
Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan