( CNN ) -- Three people were killed and more than 30 injured in back-to-back explosions near the headquarters of an anti-Taliban political party in Karachi , Pakistan , police told CNN on Saturday . The explosions , about 30 minutes apart , took place near the headquarters of Muttahida Quami Movement , or MQM , police spokesman Mureed Abbas said . One device was placed in a rickshaw , police said . The second was buried in the ground . The MQM , which is one of Pakistan 's largest and most liberal parties , has been targeted by the Pakistani Taliban in recent weeks . The party is firmly opposed to the Islamist militant group . In a call to CNN after the explosions , Pakistani Taliban spokesman Ihsan Ullah Ihsan said his group claimed responsibility . President Asif Ali Zardari strongly condemned the bomb blasts and expressed sympathies for those killed and injured and their families . The MQM 's coordination committee condemned the two bomb blasts and called for businesses and transportation providers in the province to shut down Sunday to observe a day of mourning . A candidate in this month 's national elections was shot and killed Thursday by two gunmen on a motorbike , a senior police official in Hyderabad said . Candidate Fakhar Ul Islam was targeted on his way home from his office and was a member of MQM . Pakistani Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud has told Pakistanis to stay away from the elections . On Friday , gunmen on a motorbike in Karachi shot and killed Sadiq Zaman Khattak and his 4-year-old son when they were leaving a mosque , said Zahid Khan of Awami National Party , another anti-Taliban liberal party . Khattak , representing the Awami National Party , had been a candidate for a seat in the National Assembly . On Saturday , Raza Haroon , a member of the MQM 's coordination committee , deplored how terrorists have been targeting candidates and workers of his party , the ANP and the ruling Pakistan People Party . Haroon charged that the election commission , the government and law agencies were playing a role of silent spectators . But Haroon said his party would n't be cowed . On May 11 , Pakistanis will go to the polls to elect a new civilian government for a five-year term . CNN 's Aliza Kassim contributed to this report .
Muttahida Quami Movement party condemns bombings and calls for Sunday of mourning Sunday . In a call to Muttahida Quami Movement , Raza Haroon takes responsibility for explosions . Back-to-back explosions occur near the headquarters of an anti-Taliban political party . Taliban , or MQM , opposes the Taliban .