At least 13 people including women and children were killed and several others sustained injuries in an explosion inside a mini truck in Baldia Town’s Moach Goth area of Karachi on Saturday night.
The death toll rose to 13 when a six-year-old injured boy, Fahad succumbed to his wounds.
As per initial reports, the incident occurred in a truck when family was travelling after attending a wedding.
Soon after the explosion, police and rescue officials reached the spot.
The bodies and injured people were rushed to local hospital for medico-legal formalities.
According to police, the nature of the blast is being determined and a bomb disposal squad has also reached the spot.
Police have cordoned off the area and launched investigation into the incident.
Karachi Administrator Barrister Murtaza Wahab Siddiqui confirmed in a tweet that 11 people lost lives and nine others sustained injuries. Two of the injured are in critical condition, he said in a tweet.
I just returned from the Trauma Centre along with Owais Shah. So far i can confirm 11 casualties & 9 people are injured out of whom 2 are critical. Doctors are doing their best to save the lives of the injured & whatever treatment or surgery that needs to take place will be done.
— Murtaza Wahab Siddiqui (@murtazawahab1) August 14, 2021
Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami spokesman Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman said that the deceased were the family members of Jamaat-e-Islami leader Meraj Khan Swati.
Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi Naeem-ur-Rehman said that Meraj Khan Swati's wife, two sisters-in-law and granddaughter were killed in the blast while Meraj Swati's daughter was injured.
Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman said that this was not a family dispute but an incident of terrorism. He also demanded investigation into the incident.
On the other hand Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah took notice of the explosion and directed the concerned authorities to present report.
The Sindh CM directed the authorities to provide every possible assistance to the families of the deceased.
Murad Ali Shah directed the provincial transport minister to provide details about the vehicle s fitness certificate and the cause of the explosion.