Karachi rocked by two bomb blasts

KARACHI, March 3: About 50 people were killed and hundreds injured when Karachi was rocked by two bomb blasts on Sunday. Media reports said one of the explosions occurred outside a Shia mosque in Abbas Town at a time when the worshipers were leaving evening prayers. “Women and children were among the dead and injured,” Fayaz Laghari, a police chief of Sindh province, told AFP. A cloud of smoke was witnessed from the site of the incident. The blasts were heard from far distances. Reports said that nearby flats have caught fire or have been destroyed due to the severity of the blasts. Several shops have also been seriously damaged by the explosions. “The explosion was so massive it jolted the entire area,” said an eyewitness. “Two flats and nearby shops caught fire after the explosion and balconies of various buildings collapsed.” Windows in the area have also been shattered. Police and rangers have also cordoned off the area. Rescue services have rushed to the site of the blasts. TTP disassociates itself from blasts: The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have disassociated themselves from the Abbas Town blasts. Speaking to TV channels, TTP spokesperson Ehsanullah Ehsan has said his group was not involved in the atrocity. Although he did not condemn the attack, he categorically stated that the TTP was not responsible.]]>