About 40 injured in grenade attack on Jamat Islami rally in Karachi

An explosion in a densely populated area of Pakistan's largest city Karachi today left about 40 people injured in grenade attack on Jamat-i- Islami rally in Karachi

About 40 people were injured in a grenade attack on a Jamaat-i-Islami rally in Karachi on Wednesday evening of 05-08-2020.

A JI spokesperson said that the blast occurred near the main truck that was part of the rally in Gulshan-i-Iqbal area.

Among injured, one person was stated to be in critical condition while no deaths were reported, according to Meeran Yousuf, the media coordinator to the Sindh health minister.

She earlier said five of the injured were taken to Al Mustafa Hospital, seven to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), 11 to Aga Khan University Hospital and 10 to Liaquat National Hospital.

According to Yousuf, a majority of the injured received "very minor injuries", while some were discharged.

East Senior Superintendent of Police Sajid Sadozai said two unidentified persons riding a motorcycle threw an RGD-1 grenade at the rally and escaped. A heavy contingent of police and Rangers reached the site after the blast.

He had earlier ruled out the chance of planted bomb.

The blast, which took place near Bait-ul-Mukarram Masjid, also broken the windows of nearby cars.

The banned Sindhudesh Revolutionary Army (SRA) claimed responsibility for the attack through social media.

The JI rally was being held on Youm-i-Istehsal (the day of exploitation), which is being observed today to mark one year since India cancelled occupied Kashmir's semi-autonomous status on August 5,2019.

In a tweet, JI chief Sirajul Haq termed the bomb attack a "cowardly act".

"Indian agents are still present in the city who could not tolerate the expression of solidarity with the people of Kashmir," he said. "We will not be frightened by such vile acts and will speak up for the people of Kashmir with increased determination."

JI spokesperson Zahid Askari said the rally continued even after the blast and it was addressed by JI Karachi chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman at Hasan Square. In his speech, Rehman condemned Indian atrocities against Kashmiris and the attack on the rally and demanded the arrest of the culprits.

Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab condemned the attack, terming it a "conspiracy to disturb the peace of Karachi".

He said "anti-state forces" were carrying out such acts to attain their dreadful purposes.