PM announces day-long mourning over Karachi attack

KARACHI (Staff Report) – Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has announced a day of mourning over the Karachi gun attack that left 45 people dead including 16 women.

The national flag will fly at half mast on Thursday, according to a statement issued to media.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said the entire nation shares grief and sorrow of the bereaved families, the statement further added.

At least 45 people were killed and 11 people were injured in an attack on a bus carrying members of Ismaili community near Safoora Chowrangi in Gulistan-e-Jauhar area of Karachi.

Sindh Police Inspector General Ghulam Haider Jamali said that 60 people were on board the bus when gunmen opened fire and killed 43 passengers on the spot, killing the bus driver first.

He also confirmed that the armed men used 9mm pistols to carry out the attack. However, independent sources revealed the attackers also used semi-machine guns (SMGs) in the attack.

Hospital sources had earlier confirmed that the dead include 25 men and 16 women.