One killed in Karachi blast in Pakistan

A man was killed and four others were injured in a blast in this southern Pakistani port city on Monday. The explosion occurred in Malir area of Karachi at a unit that makes cement blocks used in constructing houses.

Police said the explosive device was hidden in a cement block. "The shop was closed for three days due to Muharram and the blast took place this morning," senior police official Raja Umar said. The bomb comprised 1 kilogramme of explosive material including ball bearings, nut and bolts. One of the four injured men was in a critical condition, officials at Jinnah Hospital said. Rescue teams took the injured to hospital while a bomb disposal squad swept the area. Police officials said the bomb was apparently planted on Sunday to target a Shia procession. Security forces cordoned off the area and prevented the public and media from approaching the site of the blast. In one incident, a low intensity bomb went off in Gulistan-e-Jauhar but a second one found nearby was diffused by the bomb disposal squad on Sunday night. The bomb planted near Amroha Society gate in Gulistan-e-Jauhar went off with a loud bang but bomb disposal squad experts found another low intensity bomb near the blast site and diffused it. On Sunday, police also claimed to have killed a terrorist and uncovered large amounts of explosive material and suicide jackets after a raid in Mangophir. Residents said that police had also taken away some suspects to an undisclosed location. PTI