KARACHI: Two persons were injured when unknown miscreants resorted to firing and hurled crackers near a private university in Karachi's Gulistan-e-Johar area Monday evening, triggering fear and panic.

“Unknown miscreants threw two crackers, which landed near the boundary wall of Habib University,” said Gulshan Superintendent of Police, Abid Qaimkhani.

The guards of the varsity resorted to aerial firing in response, added the officer.

“It did not appear to be an attack on the varsity but its motive seemed to create harassment and fear,” opined the police officer.

Contingents of police and Rangers rushed to the spot and launched a search operation in the adjoining Pehlwan Goth locality, said SP Qaimkhani.

“It was not a university-specific incident,” said Habib University President Wasif Rizvi.

According to Mr. Rizvi, a law-and-order situation emerged in the neighbouring Pehlwan Goth area where suspects resorted to firing. As a result, the university's security personnel were alerted.

Later, the varsity's spokesperson, Sibtain Naqvi, said Rangers and police contingents searched the campus and cleared it.

The university spokesperson added that sounds of firing and explosion were heard “near the varsity.”

“We received two injured persons, Abdul Rehman, 25, and Hanif Asmatullah, 24, from the area,” said Dr. Seemin Jamali of Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Complex.

They sustained bullet wounds on their legs and were in stable condition, she added.