04 January 2004	Sunday	11 Ziqa'ad 1424

KARACHI, Jan 3: Four people were killed and 31 others were injured in 11 bomb explosion incidents in 2003 as compared to 12 blasts leaving 32 dead and 98 injured in 2002. The previous year remained quiet peaceful with regard to terrorism as compared to the year 2002. The police had focussed on denting the terrorist networks.

According to the reported figures in Dawn, last year, the first bomb exploded on Feb 3, killing one person and injuring three others at the parking lot of a shopping mall near the headquarters of the Pakistan State Oil in Clifton. The blast, which occurred at 11:30am, damaged at least 12 motorcycles, parked in the area besides shattering the windowpanes of the Clifton Galleria Shopping Mall and PSO House. The man, killed in the blast, was identified as Karim Dad, a parking fee collector.

The police came hard on the extremists throughout the year and the terrorists too invented new methods to prove their very presence in the metropolis, although they did not perpetrate any massive activity.

A series of low-intensity explosions perturbed the city police, as four people were injured at 21 different fuel filling stations on May 16. These blasts occurred at filling stations in Nazimabad, Jauharabad, SITE, Sharea Faisal, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, etc., between 4am to 5am, causing minor damages to the property. Nineteen blasts took place at various facilities of Shell Pakistan and Caltex Pakistan, police said.

Last year, only one explosion was reported in public transport. A bomb exploded in a minibus on M.A. Jinnah Road near Capri Cinema on Sept 27 in which 11 people were injured. In the year 2002, no explosion in public transport was reported, however, several lives were lost in a spate of explosions in public transport in the past.

Two similar sort of incidents took place outside and inside the premises of Aladin Park in June and December. Police claimed that Mohammad Riaz, 27, who was the bomb carrier, was injured in the explosion near Aladin park on June 9. Police also claimed recovery of explosives and chemicals, used in making bombs, when they raided a house in Korangi on the lead provided by the injured. Shoaib, 12, was injured when a device exploded in his hand inside the Aladin Shopping Mall on Dec 28. "He denied that he had picked up something or he had brought it along with him," a police official said.

A low-intensity grenade exploded inside a house in Mehmoodabad on Nov 2. The explosion resulted in the death of a boy while nine people including four women and four children were injured. Police believed that the grenade was hurled from outside the house, which landed on the asbestos roof and exploded with a bang. The fire erupted engulfed the house.

An incident of parcel bombing also took place in 2003. Two people were injured in a parcel bomb explosion at a madressah in North Nazimabad on Sept 3.

Two bombs exploded in Kawish Crown Plaza, located on Sharea Faisal, in July and September respectively. Two men were killed in the bomb explosion on July 11 at Kawish Crown Plaza. On Sept 19, another bomb exploded in the same building damaging some offices on its 10th floor. However, no casualty was reported as a result of the explosion. Police officials believed that the incidents were outcome of an ongoing war between two underworld groups.

A low-intensity bomb explosion damaged a portion of the Madina Shopping Mall on Sarwar Shaheed Road on Dec 1. However, no casualty was reported. Police thought that the explosive device was placed inside the garment bags dumped in the shop.

Besides, two powerful crackers exploded along the main railway line in Malir on Dec 26. No damage to property or life was reported in the incident. "It is an attempt to spread fear among citizens," said a senior police official.

It is pertinent to note here that in the year 2002, mainly foreigners or western interests were made target.

On May 8, fourteen people, including 11 Frenchmen, were killed and 18 people were injured by a suicide bomber, who barged his car into the Pakistan Navy's bus, carrying the Frenchmen, in front of Hotel Sheraton.

On June 14, twelve people died and 51 were injured when a vehicle blew up in front of the US Consulate causing massive devastation.

On Dec 5, an explosion ripped through the office of the honorary counsel-general of Macedonia killing three persons including a woman in Defence.