KARACHI: Majority of the businesses, markets, petrol stations, schools were closed and public transport was scarce on Wednesday, after a bomb exploded at an election camp of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) in Karachi on Tuesday night.

The blast near the People’s Chowrangi in North Nazimabad left at least five people dead and 15 others injured.

Earlier, two people were reported dead in the blast but three of the 15 injured succumbed to their injures on Wednesday morning, taking the death toll to five.

A group of political workers were standing outside the MQM election office when an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded in the crowd,” SSP district central Amir Farooqui, said, adding: “We have found marks of ball bearings at the scene which suggest that they were packed in the explosives.”

The blast near the People’s Chowrangi in North Nazimabad caused panic and shattered windows of nearby apartment buildings.

SSP Imran Shaukat addressed media personnel and confirmed the two fatalities.

Soon after the attack, MQM chief Altaf Hussain directed leaders of his party to shut all election offices in view of threats of more terrorist attacks and announced a day of mourning across Sindh on Wednesday. He also said that 25 MQM workers had been killed in the last few days.

“In these conditions how can people dare step out of their homes to cast vote,” he asked.