KARACHI, May 30: Two suspected terrorists, a policeman and two worshippers were killed and more than 30 others were wounded in a suicide bombing at a mosque in Gulshan-i-Iqbal on Monday evening.

The news of suicide attack spread like a wild fire across the city and enraged youths came out on the streets. Some people set on fire a fast food restaurant adjacent to the mosque. They also set ablaze four cars, a bus and a motorcycle of a press photographer on the main Rashid Minhas Road. They forced families to leave their cars which were set ablaze. Two petrol stations located near a hospital were also set on fire. Reports of violence were also received from other parts of the city.

Police and witnesses said a suicide bomber and his three accomplices had been intercepted at the main gate of the mosque by security guards but the bomber succeeded in entering the building. He was intercepted by a worshipper in the veranda while others were offering prayers. The man started firing indiscriminately but the worshipper overpowered him. Seconds later, the bomber blew himself up in the veranda some 10 feet from the inner gate of the mosque’s building. At least 150 worshippers were offering prayers at that time, the witnesses said.

They said that four attackers had attempted to enter the mosque when two police guards and a private security guard, deputed on the main gate, stopped them and tried to frisk them. The assailants tried to snatch rifles from the policemen. The security guard and the policemen scuffled with them, but one of them, the suicide bomber, succeeded in entering the mosque’s premises.

The suicide bomber was resisted by one of the worshippers but he blew himself. The head and legs of the suicide bomber were lying on the floor while other parts of his body were seen stuck to walls.

An exchange of fire took place at the main entrance between the assailants and the police and security guards in which one attacker died and another was wounded. The fourth assailant managed to escape. A police official was also killed in the shootout.

City police chief Tariq Jamil said it was an act of sectarian terrorism. He said that three attackers had tried to enter the premises and one of them succeeded. He blew himself up in the veranda. The other attacker was killed and another wounded. During the shootout, a police official was killed.

Mr Jamil said people turned violent after the incident and did not allow police to enter the mosque for investigation. “We have deployed police there and they did their work. They tried their best to intercept the criminals and one of them was arrested. One policeman was killed. We want to inspect the spot to initiate investigation but we are not being allowed to enter,” he added.

A witness named Ali said: “We were offering prayers when we heard sound of gun shots. We broke off prayers and saw a man in veranda firing indiscriminately. A worshipper tried to stop him but he blew himself up. The explosion was quite powerful. Had he blown himself up inside the building, casualties would have been higher.”

The injured were taken to different hospitals – 11 of them to the Patel Hospital and one was brought dead, later identified as M.A. Raja, head constable. Fifteen of the injured were taken to the Liaquat National Hospital where one succumbed to his injuries. One of the injured died in the Rab Medical Centre while seven injured were provided first aid and referred to the Liaquat National Hospital. An unidentified body, presumed to be of a terrorist, was taken to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre. His wounded accomplice was also in the JPMC and doctors were trying to save his life.

Following the explosion, tension gripped the entire metropolis and violence erupted sparked in many areas, including Ancholi, Stadium Road, Abbas Town, Malir and North Nazimabad. Reports of firing and torching of vehicles were received from these areas. Police sources said the total number of vehicles burnt was more than 10.