KARACHI, Dec 12: A driver of Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, was killed and five other personnel of the paramilitary force were injured on Thursday morning when a remote-controlled bomb attached to a motorcycle went off in Landhi’s Timber Market, officials said.

The officials believed that the blast could be a reaction to the ongoing Rangers-led operation against criminals in the area.

An official of the bomb disposal squad said around four kilos of explosive was used in the blast. The bomb exploded when the truck carrying 10 soldiers from the Rangers Bhittai wing arrived at Landhi-89, according to Landhi SP Faisal Noor.

The wounded were rushed to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre where one of them, identified as Sepoy Pandhi Khan, died. He was driver of the truck, said the senior police officer.

“We received six Rangers personnel with multiple wounds caused by explosive material,” said Dr Seemin Jamali, head of the JPMC emergency department.

Pandhi Khan was brought to the hospital in precarious condition with blast wounds in his head, neck and chest. He died soon afterwards, the doctor said.

Another wounded Rangers man, identified as Punho Khan, sustained injuries in his head, eye and limbs. He was operated upon and admitted for further treatment, Dr Jamali said.

The rest of them were discharged after being provided with first aid but doctors advised the Rangers officials who visited the JPMC to keep them in ‘comfort’ as they were in ‘shock’ and faced difficulty in hearing owing to the impact of the blast.

“A Rangers Shahzore truck was targeted when it was rotating troops who were deployed in the area,” said a spokesperson for Pakistan Rangers, Sindh. As a result, he added, seven Rangers personnel were injured while Rangers sepoy Pandhi Khan died later in the hospital.

The official said: “The explosive was fitted in a motorcycle which was further camouflaged by scrap and wooden logs.”

According to Landhi SHO Haroon Korai, bags stuffed with some wooden material were placed there by miscreants after 4am.

“Under the bags, the bike was buried so that no one could spot it,” he added.

The improvised explosive device was fitted with the motorbike, which was detonated through a remote control, said the official of bomb disposal squad.

“It also contained ball bearings.”

The front portion of the truck was damaged as the blast had occurred when the vehicle just arrived there, said the BDS official.

The motorcycle turned into pieces, he said.

SP Noor said the law-enforcement agencies had conducted raids in Landhi areas and detained suspects belonging to political and militant organisations.

He said that a police station was recently attacked with a cracker ‘in a reaction’ to the arrest of several suspects by the Landhi police.

The senior police officer said it would be premature to blame any group for the terrorist attack on the paramilitary force.

“Apparently, the Rangers were targeted over their concerted actions against criminals in the area,” opined DIG (east) Munir Ahmad Shaikh.

Rangers also shared identical views about the possible motive for the attack. “This cowardly act is testimony of the effectiveness of Rangers’ targeted operations and shows clear frustration of criminals and their collaborators,” according to a Rangers press statement.

“These cowardly acts can not deter our resolve to fight crime and terrorism in the city rather these sacrifices rejuvenate and strengthen our resolve to combat criminals and terrorists,” added the spokesperson for the Rangers.

The victim Pandhi Khan was born in village Kalario of district Tharparkar in 1987. He joined the Rangers in 2008.

He left behind a widow.