HYDERABAD: The driver of the car that had just dropped a candidate of Allah-o-Akbar Tehreek (AAT) at its office in Latifabad No. 8 on Tuesday evening was injured when a cracker was thrown on the vehicle.

Initial reports suggested that two attackers riding a motorcycle threw the cracker on the car and sped away.

The candidate, Faisal Nadeem, who is contesting on NA-226 Latifabad seat, escaped unhurt as he had just disembarked from the vehicle along with a fellow partyman, Khalid Saif, and gotten into a room in the office.

According to Faisal, as soon as he entered the room, a blast was heard and those present in the office rushed outside to know about the cause of the explosion. It appeared that some explosive material was thrown on the car and the blast caused injuries to its driver, Shoaib Khaskheli.

The victim was taken to the Shah Bhitai Hospital, Latifabad, for treatment.

Sharing details with Dawn as narrated by people in the neighbourhood, Khalid Saif said that two persons riding a motorcycle had thrown the cracker targeting the car. “By that time we had already entered the office,” he said.

The AAT is an offshoot of proscribed Jamaatud Dawa (JuD).

The other candidates for the NA-226 seat belong to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA), Pakistan People Party (PPP) and Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP).

Published in Dawn, July 25th, 2018