KARACHI: More or less 14 people have been killed, including father of PTI MNA Alamgir Khan and many others injured in a blast that took place in a brand of a bank in the Paracha Chowk in the Shershah neigbourhood today. Four of the injured persons are in critical condition. Dilawar Khan, father of PTI MNA Alamgir Khan went to the branch of the bank for transaction when the blast occurred.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has expressed condolences for the families of the deceased persons including father of PTI MNA from Karachi.
Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Hospital Trauma Centre head Dr Sabir Memon confirmed 14 people were killed in the blast. Dr Sabir also confirmed that among the injured, four are in critical condition. Police said the blast took place in a gas pipeline running through a nullah located in the area, causing immense damage to the private bank’s building which was constructed on the nullah.
Rescue officials arrived at the scene to shift the injured to the Civil Hospital for treatment.
Eyewitnesses on the spot claim that there are many people who are buried underneath the debris of the building, according to Geo.TV report. Two excavators have been called to the site to remove the debris and rescue any persons trapped there.
A bomb disposal unit (BDU) has arrived at the location of the blast while Police and Rangers officials have cordoned off the area. The BDU will be able to begin investigating the cause of the blast after police conclude their search operation.
An eyewitness said that since it is a Saturday today, only nine employees of the bank were on duty.
He said the bank was about to shift to a new place but it was “our bad luck” that the blast took place before the branch could be shifted to the new location.
The eyewitness said that there were a few bank customers who were buried beneath the debris as well.
Another eyewitness said that he was having petrol filled in his motorcycle when the blast took place. He saw a few people fall into the nullah, underneath the building, when the blast took place. During the rescue and search operation, a second blast took place when a few electric wires, which were being taken down, collided with a gas line. No loss of life was reported in the second blast.
