At least 12 people have been killed and 12
others injured after a blast rocked the Paracha Chowk area of Karachi in Pakistan on
Saturday, reported Geo News. Among the injured four are in critical condition.
As a search operation continues, the death toll could be higher. 

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Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Hospital
Trauma Centre chief Dr Sabir Memon confirmed the death toll, saying 12 injured
are being treated at the health facility, all of them in critical condition. He
also said that they received eight bodies from the Shershah incident while four
injured succumbed to the injuries during treatment. Most of the people brought
into the hospital have injuries in the upper halves of their bodies.

Karachi police said the blast took place in
a gas pipeline running through a drain located in the area, causing immense
damage to a private bank’s branch which was constructed on the drain. A bomb
disposal unit rushed to the location of the blast. The blast site has been
cordoned. A rescue operation has also started as injured people were taken to
the Civil Hospital for treatment.

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According to eyewitnesses, many people are
buried under the debris of the building. Two excavators have also been
called to the site to remove the debris and rescue any persons trapped there.

According to Geo News, nine people were
working at the bank branch, as it was Saturday. The report also stated the bank
was about to shift to a new place but it was “our bad luck” that the
blast took place before the branch could be shifted to the new location.

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The eyewitness also said that there were a
few bank customers who were buried beneath the debris as well. Another
eyewitness said that he was having petrol filled in his motorcycle when the
blast took place.

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A few people have also fallen into the
drain after the building collapsed.