RAWALPINDI: Terrorists rammed a motorcycle laden with explosives into a bus carrying employees of Kahuta Research Laboratory at the busy Choor Chowk in Peshawar, killing the bomber and injuring over 40 others on Thursday.
Police officials provided starkly conflicting reports of causalities while talking to media persons on the scene of the attack, but later confirmed that only the suicide bomber was killed in the attack.
The death toll in the terrorist attack may increase, as the conditions of five of the injured have been described by doctors as critical. No high ranking official appeared to be on board the bus.
Window panes of several buildings located within 150 meters of the blast came crashing down due to the explosion. In addition, at least ten vehicles including the government bus, a wagon, private cars, carry van and three taxies were damaged in the terrorist strike.
Unlike some of the recent incidents of terrorism in which suicide bombers were involved, security officials said the explosives-laden motorcycle was assembled from a collection of different auto-parts, and had also been used in Thursday’s terrorist attack.
Today’s terrorist attack is being described as a grave breach of security in the garrison city of Rawalpindi.
‘It appeared that the motorcycle used by the terrorist was a down-model Yamaha brand but its other parts were of different brands and makes,’ a security official said.
The suicide bomber who was described by eye-witnesses as being in his 20s, smashed his motorbike into the 42 seat bus (no RPT-9535) transporting KRL employees after work hours through Rawalpindi, when it stopped at a red signal at Choor Chowk at around 4.30 pm.
Mohammad Jamil, one of the injured victims told Dawn that he was waiting for a green light in his taxi at Choor chowk when he saw an unshaven 20-year-old motorcyclist in a state of panic, standing along the left side.
The man swiftly moved and hit his motorbike into the right side of the bus.
Jamil said: ‘As the motorbike rider hit the bus, a deafening explosion occurred.’ He said there was chaos and human flesh was scattered over a large area. Shortly afterwards, ambulances and police vans blaring sirens were on the scene.’
Police seized some human body parts including two legs – suspected to be those of the suicide bomber.
Nasir Khan Durrani, regional police officer Rawalpindi said one person was killed in the terrorist attack. He said earlier the police was informed that the death toll was nearly six but later the hospital authorities confirmed that it was only one who died in the attack.
According to bomb disposal experts, nearly 20 to 22 pounds of highly explosive C-4 was used by the suicide bomber who had wrapped it around his body when struck into the bus.
Although police officials in Rawalpindi termed the attack involving a motorbike a new tactic, a similar strike had been carried out by terrorists in the RA Bazar.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility. A police official said it was virtually impossible for the police to check every vehicle entering into the city.
Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani strongly condemned the suicide attack on a bus in Rawalpindi and directed the concerned authorities to investigate the incident and submit a report in this regard.
The PM said that the government was committed to stamp out menace of militancy and terrorism from the country. He directed the hospital authorities to provide best medical treatment to the injured and wished them an early recovery.
The death toll in the terrorist attack may increase, as the conditions of five of the injured have been described by doctors as critical. No high ranking official appeared to be on board the bus.
Window panes of several buildings located within 150 meters of the blast came crashing down due to the explosion. In addition, at least ten vehicles including the government bus, a wagon, private cars, carry van and three taxies were damaged in the terrorist strike.
Unlike some of the recent incidents of terrorism in which suicide bombers were involved, security officials said the explosives-laden motorcycle was assembled from a collection of different auto-parts, and had also been used in Thursday’s terrorist attack.
Today’s terrorist attack is being described as a grave breach of security in the garrison city of Rawalpindi.
‘It appeared that the motorcycle used by the terrorist was a down-model Yamaha brand but its other parts were of different brands and makes,’ a security official said.
The suicide bomber who was described by eye-witnesses as being in his 20s, smashed his motorbike into the 42 seat bus (no RPT-9535) transporting KRL employees after work hours through Rawalpindi, when it stopped at a red signal at Choor Chowk at around 4.30 pm.
Mohammad Jamil, one of the injured victims told Dawn that he was waiting for a green light in his taxi at Choor chowk when he saw an unshaven 20-year-old motorcyclist in a state of panic, standing along the left side.
The man swiftly moved and hit his motorbike into the right side of the bus.
Jamil said: ‘As the motorbike rider hit the bus, a deafening explosion occurred.’ He said there was chaos and human flesh was scattered over a large area. Shortly afterwards, ambulances and police vans blaring sirens were on the scene.’
Police seized some human body parts including two legs – suspected to be those of the suicide bomber.
Nasir Khan Durrani, regional police officer Rawalpindi said one person was killed in the terrorist attack. He said earlier the police was informed that the death toll was nearly six but later the hospital authorities confirmed that it was only one who died in the attack.
According to bomb disposal experts, nearly 20 to 22 pounds of highly explosive C-4 was used by the suicide bomber who had wrapped it around his body when struck into the bus.
Although police officials in Rawalpindi termed the attack involving a motorbike a new tactic, a similar strike had been carried out by terrorists in the RA Bazar.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility. A police official said it was virtually impossible for the police to check every vehicle entering into the city.
Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani strongly condemned the suicide attack on a bus in Rawalpindi and directed the concerned authorities to investigate the incident and submit a report in this regard.
The PM said that the government was committed to stamp out menace of militancy and terrorism from the country. He directed the hospital authorities to provide best medical treatment to the injured and wished them an early recovery.
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