ISLAMABAD: Today is the 15th anniversary of Karachi’s Karsaz suicide bombings assault on former prime minister Benazir Bhutto’s convoy on October 18, 2007, in Karachi, Pakistan.
The Karsaz bombings happened two months before the assassination of Benazir due to a suicide bombing on her convoy, killing at least 180 people died, and 500 injured. Pakistan People’s Party members made up the majority of the fatalities. The bombs mostly affected police cars, utterly destroying three police vans and killing at least 20 police officers inside them.
Even after two explosions ripped through the center of the dense crowd, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was unharmed. Benazir Bhutto returned to Karachi after an eight-year self-imposed exile, during which she resided in Dubai and London. The city came to a complete standstill to welcome her. In front of the rallying vehicle where she was greeting party members and supporters, there were two explosions just after Bhutto’s truck had crossed a bridge from the airport to the tomb of Muhammad Ali Jinnah for a planned gathering.
Benazir Bhutto’s homecoming march in Karachi was the target of twin bombs on the fateful day of October 18, 2007, becoming one of the worst terrorist strikes Pakistan has ever seen. Karsaz Bombings left Benazir Bhutto injured, and 180 people lost their lives.
The province government at the time, headed by the chief minister Dr. Arbab Ghulam Rahim, established an inquiry panel to look into the twin bombings after the terrible explosions. Around 40 witnesses gave their testimonies, recorded by the tribunal under the direction of retired Justice Dr. Ghous Mohammad.
Dr. Zulfikar Mirza, Mohtarma Bhutto’s leading security advisor, informed reporters on April 6, 2008, that the Sindh government would establish a new tribunal to look into the Karsaz explosions since his party had little faith in the tribunal established by the previous administration. Till now, no culprits are behind bars, and the investigation is pending its logical ending.
