4 killed, 14 hurt in Karachi suicide attack

Islamabad, April 5 (IANS) A suicide bomber targetted a senior police official in Pakistan's Karachi city Thursday but killed at least four people, including two policemen, while injuring 14 others, Geo News reported. The official escaped unhurt.

The bomber rammed an explosives-laden motorbike into a police vehicle in the port city's Malir Halt district killing four people, including two policemen. Fourteen others sustained injuries, said police sources.

The banned outfit Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) later claimed responsibility for the attack.

Malir's Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rao Anwar claimed that the attacker targetted him as he was being threatened for a month.

"The attack was against me. I was moving with my squad in Malir Halt district when the explosion took place. I am unhurt, but some of my men have been injured," he said.

The suicide bomber was killed in the attack, said an official.

Earlier in the morning, about six to eight unidentified men shot dead three policemen at Karachi's Pir Illahi Bux (PIB) Colony. They intercepted the police mobile vehicle and opened fired at the patrolling party.

In March, at least 10 people were killed and over 50 vehicles torched as violence escalated in Karachi over the killing of a local political activist.

The violence had broken out hours after Mansoor Mukhtar, an activist of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), was shot dead by unidentified gunmen at his home.

Thousands of MQM supporters had taken to streets in different parts of the city in protest and set ablaze many vehicles while firing in the air. The violent protest had virtually brought life in the city to a standstill.