A parcel bomb exploded inside the residence of Balochistan National Party (BNP) leader and Member of National Assembly (MNA) Yaqoob Bizenjo on Friday, injuring the BNP leader, his mother, brother, daughter and peon. The parcel bomb is said to have contained 200 grams of explosive material. The incident took place within the jurisdiction of Darakhshan police.
According to police sources, Bizenjo, who was elected from NA-272, Mand, Balochistan., received a call from Zahid, one of his employees working at his ‘Turbat House’ late Thursday night informing him that a parcel had been dispatched to his residence. The parcel was sent by an intercity bus to Karachi.
On Friday, Bizenjo told his driver, Arif, to collect the parcel, and the driver duly went to M/S Yousuf Trading Company situated in Yousuf Goth, Baldia to receive the parcel. After collecting the parcel, he went home and handed it over to Bizenjo.
Bizenjo opened the parcel around noon, but there was an explosion as soon as the package was unwrapped. Bizenjo, his mother Naz Bibi, brother Sanaullah, daughter Shehla, and peon Azizullah were injured in the blast. The intensity of the blast was such that the hall where the family were sitting was splattered with blood. The injured were shifted to the Jinnah Post-Graduate Medical Centre (JPMC) and later to Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH).
Afterwards, the personnel of bomb disposal squad also reached the house and started collecting the evidence. All items in the room where the blast occurred had been shattered, while the air-conditioner and windows of the rooms were also damaged. The explosion left a crater measuring about an inch-and-a-half deep and six inches wide.
Investigators said that normally parcels for Bizenjo came from Islamabad Parliament House — a day earlier, budget books had also arrived by parcel. Bizenjo, ostensibly, took the parcel to be containing the same but it turned out that explosives had been packed into the documents.
Police and Rangers sealed the house, and senior security officials, including South Zone Deputy Inspector General (DIG) A.D. Khwaja visited the scene of crime. South Zone DIG A.D. Khwaja told The News that no major injuries were reported in the incident. He said that after the incident, he directed the investigation staff to immediately conduct a raid at the transporters’ office in Baldia. The investigation staff carried out a raid and detained Zafar and Yousuf of Yousuf Transport Company for questioning.
During investigation, they told the police that they had received the parcel from Turbat and had no further information. The DIG said that a police team in Turbat was also informed, who are also questioning Zahid regarding the parcel.
Further probe is underway.
PPI adds: National Assembly Speaker Fehmida Mirza and Sindh Interior Minister Dr Zulfiqar Ali Mirza have issued a joint statement strongly condemning the parcel bomb blast at the residence of MNA Yaqoob Bizenjo and have extended their sympathies with the family.
Issuing immediate orders for the arrest of the culprits, he said that steps should be taken for the clearance and checking of parcels and other baggage arriving at all goods forwarding stands in the city to avoid any such bomb explosion in future. He also directed the officials concerned to form a policy by discussing the issue with goods forwarding agencies and courier services under which parcels coming from other provinces should be checked properly before their dispatch to the consignees.
