I’ve just tuned into my TV set here, and I can see some really disturbing images on my screen (PG advised by Geo). Apparently it looks like a couple of blasts have taken place some where at Shahrah-e-Faisal in the midst of Benazir Bhutto’s procession that was heading towards the Quaid’s mausoleum. Different news agencies are reporting different figures for the number of the dead, but Geo have confirmed that at least 53 have died. Emergency has been declared at Jinnah and Civil hospital, and more numbers about the dead are constantly coming in from other hospitals.

Pakistan People’s Party officials have confirmed that Benazir along with other senior party officials are fine and have been safely transported to Bilawal House. The two blasts (the second of which was stronger) took close to Benazir Bhutto’s bus have nevertheless resulted in minor injuries for senior partly officials, including Fauzia Wahab, who just told Geo that she has a minor injury on her hand. She was in the bus in which Bhutto was traveling, and according to her eye witness account, the blasts took place in two empty mobile police vans located near the bus in which Mrs. Bhutto and her compatriots were traveling. Horrible scenes are being shown across the all the news channels: body parts lying around, fires breaking out, ambulances running in every direction, what a truly, horrible, disgusting incident! And what a horrible mindset those who have planned it have, it sickens me. God protect us. More updates as and when I can get them.

Update 1:

No one is confirming yet if this was a suicide attack or not. From the interior ministry, Mr. Cheema has said they’re trying to determine the cause. Latest footage from the time of the blast is showing high profile leaders including Sherry Rehman and Begum Abida Hussain leaving the truck minutes after the blast. Many of the leaders coming out of the buss appeared injured from splinters. Meanwhile, disturbing numbers continue to come out of hospitals. Jinnah Hospital has now put the number of dead bodies that have arrived in their hospital at 22; 80 people are reportedly seriously injured. At Civil Hospital, 19 bodies have been confirmed dead, 14 are seriously injured. At Liaqat National, number of dead bodies arrived is being put at 30, and more then 80 injured. A call for blood donations has already been made. One hopes TV channels remember some basic journalistic ethics in these times, its all good to give accurate information and breaking news as it happens, but showing mutilated body parts lying around? That is going too far.

Update 2: Geo have now actually showed live footage of the blasts as it happened! It appeared dangerously closed to the bus, I must say. Benazir was apparently resting inside the buss when the blasts happened. In other developments, the President, Prime Minister and Minister of Information have all strongly condemned the incident. The Governor of Sindh Ishrat ul Aibad, who also condemned the incident, has just declared that all educational institutions will be remain closed today. Several journalists including a local private TV channel cameraman have now been identified among the dead. The exact location of the blasts has now been identified as under the Karsaz Bridge. Dead bodies and the injured are now also being taken to Agha Khan Hospital. The total number of dead so far is now being put at at least 78.

Update 3: SSP Raja Umer Khatab is now saying that the blast was indeed a suicide bomb. And that the attacker’s body parts have been found. Number of dead now increased to 85. God help us. Eye witnesses are now reporting that in addition to ambulances, private cars, including rickshaws and taxis, are now taking the injured to nearby hospitals. Correspondents near Bilawal House are now telling us that almost all roads leading to Mrs. Bhutto’s residence have been closed and only senior party officials are being allowed inside. Mrs. Bhutto, is reportedly, heading a high-level emergency party “ijlas” (meeting).

Update 4: Fire brigade and other rescue facilities are now reaching the scene of the blasts. Mustafa Kamal is now speaking to Geo and saying that the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital has plenty of free resources, and some of the overload of injured reaching Jinnah and Civil should be transported there. Jinnah Hospital is apparently so cramped that there isn’t space left to treat people even on the floor. President Musharraf has just directed all army hospitals to take in as many injured as they can. Kamran Khan is describing the scene of the incidents as resembling “the day of judgment”. Meanwhile, news is coming in from Washington that the United States has very strongly condemned the attacks, hoping that they would not “derail the democratic process”. Ishrat ul Aibad has also spoken to Geo and told Kamran Khan that all the city’s resources are being “mobilized” to deal with the emergency. Repeated call for blood donations is also being made, though reporters from Jinnah Hospital add that security outside the hospital it self has been increased in fear of further attacks. God truly help us.

Update 5: Shahbaz Sharif, from London, has also condemned the incident, sympathising with the families of the dead, and praying for the speedy recovery of the injured. He’s saying the future is looking bleak, while expressing relief that the “Muhtarma” is safe. Authorities in Hyderabad have also decided that all educational institutions will remain closed today. Questions are being asked everywhere: were the security measures taken enough or with such a large procession, it was logistically impossible to prevent such an incident? Despite statements from some officials, the wazereh-e-dakhla is saying it is too soon to speculate, and that we’d need to determine the nature of blast beyond doubt first. Aaj TV is now confirming the number of dead as 100. ARY 1 World correspondent Salman Iqbal is now speaking emotionally about the lack of protection given to journalists and media men. The ARY 1 cameraman who died at Jinnah Hospital a few moments ago was identified as a Mr. Arif, Salman Iqbal said he was one of ARY’s oldest serving camera men being with ARY since 1998. Another Dawn News cameraman is reportedly seriously injured as well. Asif Zardari has spoken to Geo as well, condemning the accidents. Associated Press is now putting the number of dead at at least 108.

Update 6: The death and injured toll is steadily rising, almost all channels are now putting the total number of dead above 100. The Secretary General of the United Nations Kofi Anan has joined other leaders in condemning the incidents. Geo is putting the number of dead at 124 and the number of injured at no less than 545. CNN is now saying that of the two attacks one was suicide bomb and the other was due to some explosives placed in a vehicle. I doubt the various accounts about the exact nature of blasts at this stage can be trusted, we may not know them for sure until a full inquiry is launched. Meanwhile, there’s no news yet from Benazir her self, the fact that it is now 3:20 am in Karachi may be one explanation for her silence. Zardari did tell both Geo and Aaj that he had spoken to “Bibi”, and that she was tired after her extensive journey today but would address a formal press conference soon.

Update 7: It is the wee hours of the morning here, and I haven’t obviously been out, but I can see the disgust these incidents have caused in ordinary people, in the comments section here as well as in status messages at Facebook. But I can also see a sense of fear and insecurity. What happens next? Will we get out of our homes tomorrow? Schools and colleges have already been closed, but can Karachi businesses cope with another day off from work? There’s a slide running on Geo which quotes the I.G. Sindh as saying there are further “threats” to Benazir’s security. Now that’s the bit that’s really concerning for me, not because of what my own political ideologies are or that I support Benaiz Bhutto, but because I live five minutes off Bilawal House and because of what this entails for our troubled city as a whole. Please keep safe. Meanwhile, more leaders continue to condemn the blasts and express their sympathies for the dead and injured. Latest to join is the que is MQM chief Altaf Hussain, who is urging people to help the injured by donating blood.

Update 8: Not much in terns of “new” news is now coming in. Instead, every one is trying to reflect on all that has already happened. Thankfully, in a rare display of sensitivity, most of the Pakistani political figures that have come out and spoken on the blasts to date have refrained from indulging in an outright blame game and instead showing sympathy for those who were directly affected by this. To finish this thread, I’ll quote the pertinent prayer commentator Ramla made in one of the comments here:

It is my sincere hope that when the Sun rises today, there is no blame-mongering. That the politicians and the establishment and the citizens realize no one if going off the planet in a hurry. It is us, all this is us, and we have to own up to our own people and politicians and selves. Fantasies of shoulds, musts, and wishes cannot be given rein.

I wish that with the new sun comes a steeled resolve, a commitment to cleanse the part and move on to the future of Pakistan en masse, to understand that we can sooner cut out own body off than wish away the rot that is the collective result of our actions and inactions.

I wish that the citizens of Pakistan be maturer and wiser… that is not to be for or against a particular party, but to understand that human freedom lies in making choices in the toughest of circumstances.

Wish you a new day, no matter what, Dear Pakistan!

Amen! Our thoughts and prayers are with the injured and the families of the dead. May the Almighty take to task those responsible for these inhumane events. Wishing you all a better, safer and peaceful day tomorrow!