KARACHI: Two bombs went off minutes apart outside a Shia mosque in Karachi, killing at least two persons and wounding several others, officials said on Wednesday.

Two bombs exploded outside a Shia mosque in Orangi Town, killing two persons and wounding seven others, senior police official Javed Odho said.

He said the first appeared to be a suicide attack.

As the security forces and rescue workers were transporting victims of the first attack in Karachi to hospitals, a second bomb exploded at the same place, wounding several people, including security forces, rescue workers and journalists, senior police officer Omer Khitab said.

The twin bombings came as minority Shia Muslims were celebrating the holy month of Muharram.

The bomb was planted in a motorcycle ripped through the neighbourhood near Imambargah Hyder-i-Karrar in Orangi Town area, killing at least two people and injuring seven, said a police official about the first blast.

"We have also found a body which might have been of the suicide bomber, although it can not be confirmed yet," said DIG West Karachi Javed Odho.

Condemnations

President Asif Ali Zardari, MQM chief Altaf Hussain, PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif and several leaders of ANP among others have condemned the twin blasts.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik, condemning the incident, has ordered a forensic report, while Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon has said the armed forces will be on a ‘stand-by’ for Ashura (Muharram 9 and 10) in Karachi.