Four killed in Karachi blasts

At least four people were killed and four others injured when three bomb blasts targeting Pakistan Rangers troopers rocked Karachi city Wednesday, a media report said.

The dead included three paramilitary Rangers and a private security guard, the Dawn online said.

In the first incident, two improvised explosive devises (IEDs) were placed close to a Rangers' checkpost in the busy North Nazimabad neighbourhood of Karachi and detonated remotely, killing one soldier and wounding three.

"These were the IEDs which were installed in cement blocks, targeting Rangers," the report quoted senior police officer Amir Farooqi sa saying.

Following this, a suicide bomber blew himself up at the entrance of the Rangers' headquarters in the same area of the city, killing two troopers and a civilian security guard, besides wounding another.

"The suicide attacker walked in and tried to enter into the gate when he was intercepted by the security officials and he blew himself up," Farooqi said.

A spokesman for the Rangers confirmed the toll.

"The Rangers personnel who spotted and intercepted the suicide bomber will be awarded highest Rangers gallantry award," he added.

The injured were rushed to the nearby Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for treatment.

A spokesman of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) later called Dawn over phone from an undisclosed location and claimed responsibility for the blasts.

The attacks came hours before Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's announcement in the National Assembly, offering peace dialogue to the Pakistani Taliban.