Three people were killed and another 20 injured in a hand grenade attack at a gambling club in Karachi’s Chakiwara police precincts on Friday. Police and law enforcement agencies (LAEs) reached the site immediately after the attack and cordoned off the area, while rescue teams moved the dead and 11 injured people to Civil Hospital Karachi. Another eight injured people were moved to JPMC. Police said the club had been set up in an apartment in the Jhatpat Market area of Chakiwara.
Bomb Disposal Squad officials said the hand grenade was locally produced. Witnesses said unidentified men riding a motorcycle sprayed bullets and then hurled two hand grenades at the apartment owned by a member of a ruling political party. Sources said the gambling club was being run by Tariq alias Kalu.
An official of the Karachi police declared the attack part of war among the mafias. Meanwhile, unidentified men opened indiscriminate fire on a rally of religious parties near Tibet Centre on MA Jinnah Road, creating fear and panic among the participants. However, no casualty was reported. Police claimed arresting a man involved in firing on the Difa-e-Haramain rally.
Thousands of people from several religious parties marched on in support of Saudi Arabia, saying they would not tolerate any conspiracy against the Saudi government. The Difa-e-Haramain rally was organised by various parties from the Deoband and Ahl-e-Hadith schools of thought.
