Two terrorists blow themselves up in Pakistan's port city

Sep 26, 2008, 8:25 GMT

Karachi - Two suicide bombers blew themselves up in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi after police raided their hideout on Friday, foiling a major plan to bring carnage during the Muslim festival of Eid al-Fitr, officials said.

On a tipoff police raided a house in the Baldia Town area where Islamic militants from a banned group, Lashkare Jhangvi, were holed up in the western part of the city, mostly inhabited by Pukhtoon laborers from restive North West Frontier Province.

The rebels opened fire at the law enforcers with assault rifles and hurled five hand grenades, spreading terror in the city's congested area.

After running out of ammunition, they blew themselves up.

City police chief Wasim Ahmad said the terrorists were possibly planning to carry out suicide attacks during the busy Eid holiday shopping.

The security forces later retrieved the body of the city's leading city transporter, Shaukat Afridi, from the rubble of the house destroyed in the blast.

Afridi, who had a supply contract with NATO forces in Afghanistan, was kidnapped around three months ago. He was shot in the head.

Pakistan has witnessed several suicide attacks in recent weeks believed to have been carried out by militants from the country's tribal areas, where Pakistani security forces have launched operations to eliminate Taliban and al-Qaeda hideouts.

Last Saturday the country witnessed its worst suicide bombing at the 5-star Marriott Hotel in the capital Islamabad, killing 53 and injuring over 250.