KARACHI, May 16: Police have failed to make breakthrough in a series of bomb explosions that occurred within a span of one hour at city’s 21 fuel stations early Thursday.

Four people were injured in the blasts occurred at petrol pumps in Nazimabad, Joharabad, SITE, Sharea Faisal, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, etc., from 4am to 5am. They caused minor damage to the property. Nineteen blasts took place at Shell Pakistan’s outlets and two at Caltex Pakistan’s stations, police said.

The bomb disposal squad said the low intensity bombs were locally assembled with 15-minute timer. They were put into dustbins placed beside fuel pumps by motorcyclists, the squad officials said.

“We have not arrested or associated anyone with the investigation so far,” DIG Investigation Fayyaz Leghari told Dawn on Friday night.

He said the police had been investigating the blasts from various angles.

He said nothing could be ruled out; an act of sabotage, a rift between oil transporters and the petroleum company, an act of terrorism by Jihadi or Al Qaeda elements, or some other possibility. “We are investigating from all angles but so far we have not reached a conclusion.”

The DIG said surveillance cameras installed at one of the petrol stations of Shell Pakistan on Sharea Faisal had obtained the film. “Our experts are analyzing the film.

“There were four cameras, three were functional and but the fourth one which could have focused the culprits, was out of order,” he said.

A police spokesman said that according to information gathered from the staff of stations it was suspected that motorcyclists had placed these devices into dustbins.

He said the sketch of a possible suspect was prepared with the help of description provided by one of the staff members of Shell Pakistan. A video film from the security camera was obtained which was being analyzed, he added.

A Shell Pakistan spokesman said measures were taken to ensure safety and security at all facilities.

Opinion

Editorial

Centre vs provinces
Updated 10 Jun, 2026

Centre vs provinces

The reason the centre finds itself in this position is rooted in its failure to expand the tax net and boost revenues.
Party in crisis
10 Jun, 2026

Party in crisis

THE young KP chief minister must be starting to realise just how thorny a seat he occupies. There has been a flurry...
Varsity woes
10 Jun, 2026

Varsity woes

FINANCIAL crises affecting public sector universities across Pakistan are now having an impact on academic...
Doctor attacked
09 Jun, 2026

Doctor attacked

AN act of reprehensible violence has shaken the medical community. On Saturday, an employee of the Provincial Civil...
AJK flare-up
Updated 09 Jun, 2026

AJK flare-up

The situation started deteriorating after a trader affiliated with the JAAC was reportedly shot in an altercation with law-enforcers.
Fault lines
09 Jun, 2026

Fault lines

THE April 8 ceasefire that halted hostilities between Israel and Iran has encountered its most serious test yet....