KARACHI, May 17: Police are still groping in the dark and have failed to make any headway in their inquiry into the blasts which occurred at different petrol pumps in Karachi on Thursday.

The DIG Investigation, Fayyaz Leghari, said the police had not made any arrest in this respect. “We have not even taken anyone into custody in connection with the explosions”, he added.

He disclosed that the police had received a statement from an extremist organization and it was being analyzed. “We cannot give any word about the veracity of this statement,” he added.

The press release containing a statement from the spokesman for a newly-formed ‘Muslim United Army’ was also sent to different newspaper offices on Saturday.

The press release claimed the responsibility of 21 explosions at different petrol pumps in the city of Shell Pakistan and Caltex. It warned the government that if the steps being taken against Mujahideen were not stopped, major attacks would be launched in the future. These explosions were termed ‘a slight activity’ and it was claimed that in future the volume of explosives and targets would be different.

The press release further claimed that different Jihadi organizations had forged unity under the platform of ‘Muslim United Army’. Its Ameer (chief) Shaikh Ahmed would continue the mission of Asif Ramzi and all the Mujahideen are united under the leadership of Shaikh Ahmed, the statement said.

It further said that the Mujahideen would attack the US facilities across the country.

Earlier on Oct 15, 2002, a banned religious group Lashkar-i- Jhangavi claimed the responsibility of the parcel bomb blasts, which took place in various offices of police officers and the home department.

The organization claimed the responsibility in an electronic mail, sent to a number of newspaper offices. The sender of the e-mail claimed himself to be Asif Ramzi. He had claimed that now all major Jihadi organizations, including Lashkar-i-Jhangvi were gathering on a platform of ‘Muslim United Army’. In near future, guerrilla activities will be launched against anti-Islam police officers, other non-Muslims and those working as American agents.

Police believed Asif Ramzi, a hardcore extremist belonging to the banned Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, was killed in a powerful explosion on Dec 19 last year, which razed a house in Korangi. Three others were also found dead in the rubble, who were believed to be religious extremists.