The attacks, in a city isolated from bombings concentrated in northwest Pakistan, underscored security challenges facing the country.
At least 30 people were killed and over 200 injured in twin suicide attacks in the port city of Karachi on Friday, reportedly carried out by
bikers who were carrying deadly explosives on their motorcycles.
In the first incident of suicide bombing, a motorcycle rigged with explosives rammed into a passenger bus carrying Shias near the Nursery bridge in Karachi, killing 15 people and wounding close to 50, followed by yet another such attack almost 80 minutes later when yet another motorcyclist exploded himself in the parking lot of Jinnah Hospital, killing 16 and inflicting injuries to over 80 others.
The attacks, in a city isolated from bombings concentrated in northwest Pakistan but with a history of sectarian tensions and political violence, underscored security challenges facing the country.
The bus attacked in the first explosion was carrying Shia Muslim mourners to participate in a religious procession to mark the end of the holy month of Muharram in Karachi, a city of 16 million people.
Earlier on December 28, 2009, a massive suicide bombing killed 43 people during a procession of the Shia Muslims. Pakistani authorities investigating the Karachi suicide attacks say the explosives used by two human bombs on February 5 have striking resemblance with the material used in the December 28, 2009 suicide attack targeting a Shia procession in Karachi which killed at least 45 people.
The investigators have already concluded that the Ashura day suicide bombing was carried out by the banned Lashkar-e-Jhangvi while working in tandem with the pro-Taliban Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) led by Baitullah Mehsud.
Well-informed circles in the interior ministry say the investigating agencies have got sufficient evidence to show that the al Qaeda-linked TTP and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi have been closely coordinating with each other to create mayhem in Karachi through their suicide squads which have already been found involved in several major incidents of suicide bombings in Karachi.
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