Man held in Pakistan firework probe

A Pakistani businessman has been arrested for illegally importing two containers of banned fireworks that exploded and killed 17 people last week.

Irfan Memon, also known as Ameenuddin, was arrested on Tuesday in Karachi, police say.

The containers exploded on 4 February as they were being inspected at a depot near the eastern town of Sialkot.

The containers had arrived from Dubai, with which Mr Memon was reported to have trade links.

Torn apart

Karachi police office Ejaz Hashmi said: "The two containers carrying the explosives were booked by this person."

He said the suspect had been handed over to Sialkot police.

Some exported Chinese fireworks are dangerous

Customs authorities in Sialkot, unaware the container held fireworks, were examining it when it exploded, killing a customs inspector and his assistant.

A second fire broke out in a container carrying imported perfume bottles.

Exploding bottles killed a number of port workers and three children in a nearby school.

The force of the blast had torn bodies apart.

Another 30 people were injured, 12 of whom needed hospital treatment.

The importers had falsely listed the contents as plastic toys on their import documents.

The fireworks had originated in China.

The import of materials used in fireworks is banned.

Despite efforts to crack down on the illegal fireworks trade, deadly accidents still frequently occur.

Last June, an explosion in Lahore at a private house used for making fireworks killed eight people.