Attack on MQM office injures at least seven in Karachi

At least seven people were injured in a large blast targeting an electoral office of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) near Karachi’s busy Burns Road area on Thursday night, DawnNews reported. Initial reports suggest the political office, set up for election campaigning in the city’s NA-250 constituency, was the target of suspected terrorists. Several party activists are among the injured. Injured are being shifted to nearby Civil Hospital. Security and law enforcement forces have cordoned off the area which was engulfed with fear after the bombing. DIG South District Amir Sheikh told a private TV channel that the bomb exploded inside a nearby mosque. DSP Preedy Police Station Zamir Abbasi told Dawn.Com the blast was carried out through a time-device and around two to three kilos of explosives was used in it. Meanwhile, the Pakistani Taliban have claimed responsibility of the attack. Speaking to Dawn.com via telephone from an undisclosed location, TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan said the proscribed organisation has carried out the attack on MQM. The outlawed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had vowed to target secular political forces of the country – Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Awami National Party (ANP) and MQM. The banned outfit had also claimed responsibilities of the last week’s attacks. More than 60 people have already been killed in militant attacks targeting electoral campaigning of PPP, MQM and ANP, across the country since April 11. Reiterating their stance of targeting the said parties for having secular views, the TTP spokesman, in a video message earlier today had vowed to carry on with the targeted attacks.