HYDERABAD: Neglig­ible damage was caused to the rail tracks by two low-intensity blasts that were heard in the nearby Sehrish Nagar locality here a little after Fajr prayers on Saturday.

Three Karachi-bound trains — Farid Express, Pakistan Express and Zakariya Express — were halted until an inspection of the tracks was carried out at the blast site and clearance was given by the bomb disposal squad (BDS) as well as the anti-terrorism force (ATF) of the Hyderabad police.

The blast caused so little damage that the BDS and ATF found it difficult even to locate the damaged patches of the track. After a search, they found cracks having been caused to the sleepers of up and down tracks near Sehrish Nagar.

BDS official Ramzan Panhwar said that the explosions were caused by some non-electrical device. Around 100-150 grams of explosives were used, he said, adding that the blasts damaged cemented sleepers to some extent.

“Pieces of safety fuses and solution tape were found at both up and down tracks which shows that two explosions have occurred. Such fuses are used in non-electrical devices,” said Panhwar.

In his comment, Hyderabad SSP Pir Mohammad Shah said that the subversive activity might be reaction to the recent arrest of Abdul Qayyum Narejo, believed to be a key activist of [militant outfit] Sindhudesh Revolut­onary Army (SRA).

Narejo was picked up by law enforcement agencies’ personnel in Jamshoro and his father has moved a court of law against his detention.

The SSP said that an intelligence-based operation (IBO) would be launched in the evening to arrest the blast culprits.

Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2018