Balochistan National Party (BNP) - Awami MNA Yaqoob Bizenjo and his family were wounded on Friday when a parcel bomb exploded in the lawmaker's home in the jurisdiction of Darakhshan police station. According to police, MNA Yaqoob Bizenjo, who is residing in his Karachi residence at Khayaban-e-Rahat, DHA Phase-VI, received a phone call from a transport company to collect his parcel.
The MNA sent his driver to the company who took the parcel and handed it over to Yaqoob at 12:30pm. After receiving the parcel, Yaqoob Bizenjo went into the drawing room where other family members were also sitting. As he opened the parcel, a blast occurred, resulting in injuries to the MNA and his four family members. Others who were injured included wife of MNA, Naz Bibi, his brother Sanaullah, cousin Azizullah and a child Shahaan who were immediately shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate and Medical Center (JPMC) and later moved to Agha Khan Hospital (AKU).
DIGs of South and East Zones and some 12 SSP level officers visited the crime scene to ascertain the facts besides a heavy contingent of LEAs, which later besieged the area.
Talking to Business Recorder outside the MNA's residence, DIG South AD Khawaja said that no casualty was reported, however, five persons were injured who were shifted to the hospital for medical treatment. He said that the windowpanes of some rooms and two split air-conditioners were damaged. Initial reports suggest that a courier serviceman had handed over the parcel, which exploded with a big bang. He said that they had called the Bomb Disposal Squad and experts of CID and other investigation agencies, which would identify the nature of the blast. The DIG said it was a parcel blast and similar parcels were received by police officers including Fayyaz Khan, Farooq Awan, Chaudhry Aslam and Raja Umer Khattab in 2002, but the attempts to carry out blasts were thwarted.
Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Wasim Ahmed said that it was a parcel blast that caused injuries to the MNA and his family members. He said that the nation was in a state of war and people should take preventive measures, as such kinds of blasts could not be ruled out.
He said that the people should ensure that the gifts/parcels they received were safe. He also appealed to masses to cooperate with LEAs and inform police if they find any suspicious packets.
Talking to newsmen at JPMC, MNA's bother Raheem Bizenjo said that their servants from the Turbat House had informed them that they received a parcel for MNA Yaqoob Bizenjo and my brother instructed them to send the parcel to Karachi by a transport company. Today, he said someone from the transport company phoned the MNA who sent his driver to pick up the parcel from Hub. The driver returned and gave the parcel to my brother who opened it in the drawing room and the mishap took place.