One dies in blast at head office of PSO
3-2-2003
KARACHI: A man was killed and three others were injured
after an explosive-laden motorcycle blew up in Clifton area at 11.30am on
Monday.
The incident occurred behind head offices of the Pakistan
State Oil (PSO) and investigators termed it a threat to the PSO, viewing that
Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) is about to pronounce judgment in the murder case
of its managing-director Shaukat Raza Mirza against Akram Lahori, and others
of (banned) Lashkar-e-Jhangvi. A spokesman for the PSO, however, said:
"The PSO was not the intended target by all indications."
Witnesses said the explosion occurred, when a parking
attendant, Karam Dad, was adjusting motorcycles parked in the parking lot at
the Clifton Shopping Galleria to make space for more motorcycles.
He died instantly as he was thrown away by the blast and
hit the PSO building's wall, 79 feet away. Police found his national identity
card from the site. The motorcycle was also torn into pieces that fell some
26 feet away from the parking lot. The blast made a five-foot crater.
The three injured were Head Constable Fayyaz, who was
posted at the site, a passer-by, Aijaz, and a sweeper, Afzal Maseeh. They
were rushed to the JPMC. Some 12 motorbikes parked in the lot were partially
damaged due to fire, which was controlled by three fire tenders. Glasses and
windowpanes of the PSO building and shops in the Clifton Shopping Galleria
were smashed.
Two motorcycles - KAB-309 and KCM-8017 - were completely
destroyed. Police were unclear as to which one of tem was explosive-laden.
Motorcycle KAB-309 was owned by Wali Muhammad while Syed Khalid Mahmood was
the owner of the other. Chassis number of Wali's motorbike was fake. Police
have questioned Khalid and were searching for Wali, a resident of Korangi.
Inspector Aga Hussain Shah of Bomb Disposal Squad told The News that the bomb
was locally made and weighed 1.5 to 2-kgs. Nature of the explosive could be
ascertained after laboratory tests, he added. Ruling out the use of time
device, he observed that the bomb went off when the motorcycle was moved or
perhaps someone used a remote control.
Sindh Chief Minister Ali Muhammad Maher, Home Minister
Syed Sardar Ahmad, Sindh Police Chief Syed Kamal Shah and other high-ranking
police and government officials, visited the scene at about 1:15pm. Maher
told reporters that apparently it was an act of terrorism aimed at destroying
the peace of the city. "Investigating agencies are examining the
recording of surveillance cameras installed around the PSO building," he
said and added: "It will be premature to comment. "We will take
stern action against those found responsible," he assured.
In a statement the PSO said no PSO employee was hurt and
the damages confined to a few outside glass panels on different floors. The
PSO was not the intended target, the statement said, adding that the MD and
top PSO management personally supervised security arrangement, issued orders
to assess damage and repairs. Within 15 minutes the entire staff resumed
normal activity. Agencies add: Sindh police chief Kamal Shah said: "It
is possible that it was a suicide attack and perhaps the nearby residences of
police officers were the target."
Lashkar-i- Jhangvi men identified in PSO blast case
15-3-2004
KARACHI, March 15: Two workers of the banned Lashkar-i- Jhangvi, being tried for a bomb
blast near the head office of the Pakistan State Oil
, were identified on Monday by the prosecution witnesses in an anti-terrorism court.
Judge Feroze Mehmood Bhatti of the ATC-II put off the hearing till Tuesday after the depositions
of prosecution witnesses Waqar Ahmed and Rahil Khan. Accused Abdul Wahab Afghani and Shahnawan
alias Shani are being tried for the blast on Feb 3, 2003 in which a man was killed and three others
were wounded. The bomb was planted in a motorcycle.
The blast also damaged at least 12 motorcycles parked in the area besides shattering the windowpanes
of the Clifton Galleria Shopping Mall and PSO House. The man killed in the blast was identified as
Karimdad, a parking fee collector.
Waqar Ahmed, the parking contractor, deposed that accused Afghani and an unknown pillion rider came
on a bike. "They parked the motorcycle in the parking lot and the blast occurred five minutes after
they left.
Rahil Khan, a motorcycle mechanic, stated that accused Shani came to his workshop in Korangi and
purchased the bike through him. He said the accused introduced himself as Ismail. Special public
prosecutor Maula Bukhsh Bhatti has so far examined 10 prosecution witnesses in the case.
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