Karachi: Two low-intensity explosive devices lobbed by motorcycle-borne attackers went off outside the Saudi consulate on Wednesday, in the first possible retaliation to the killing of al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in a unilateral US raid in Abbottabad over a week ago.
The unidentified assailants threw the hand-made explosive devices at the consulate in the heavily-guarded Defence area here, police said, adding there were no casualties.
One of the devices exploded in shrubs outside the consulate while the other went off near a wall, police said. The two attackers, whose faces were covered by helmets, escaped from the site.
No group claimed responsibility for the attack.
"There were no casualties ... but after this incident we have stepped up security at all foreign consulates in Karachi," a senior police official said.
He said that after the killing of Osama bin Laden in a US raid in Abbottabad last week, security had already been stepped up at all foreign consulates, particularly of the United States and Saudi Arabia.
"We are expecting some retaliation for the death of Osama bin Laden and we are investigating if this failed attack was part of that," another police official said.
Additional police and paramilitary personnel rushed to the Saudi consulate soon after the blasts.
A bomb disposal squad swept the area for evidence and other explosive devices.
Cities across Pakistan have been on high alert since bin Laden was killed on May 2.
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