25 dead, over 100 injured in Parachinar twin blasts

• Deadly explosions rip through crowded Tori market

At least 25 people were killed and over hundred injured in twin subsequent bomb blasts that ripped through in a crowded Tori market where people were busy in purchasing Iftar items on Friday afternoon in Parachinar of the Kurram Agency.

The Political Administration said that the first blast occurred in the Tori Market and as the people gathered there to rescue the injured from the rubbles of the shops, while a second blast ripped through the same place that proved fatal as it caused maximum damages to life and property.

The intensity of the second blat was far greater than the first blast that increased the toll of the injured and killed. The blast was heard miles away creating panic in the area. The administration said that emergency has been declared in hospitals as the people are shifting the injured to the hospitals.

Parachinar’s District General Hospital Medical Superintendent Sabir Hussain has appealed for help, saying the hospital was not equipped to handle the large number of casualties. This is the second major bombing incident reported in the country on the same day. Early morning, a suicide blast shook Shuhada Chowk in Quetta’s Gulistan Road area.

The nature of the explosions was not immediately clear. The explosions targeted people shopping in the area and those heading out of the city ahead of Eidul Fitr, local political administration officials said. Security forces have cordoned off the affected site and are conducting a search operation.

“Two army aviation helicopters have taken off from Peshawar to Parachinar for the speedy evacuation of the injured to Peshawar,” a statement issued by the military’s media wing said. “Rescue operation in progress,” it added.

Parachinar, with a population of more than 50,000, has been under strict security arrangements for quite some time. The army and the paramilitary personnel have set up checkpoints on all routes leading to the town and visitors and vehicles go through extensive search and identification process.

On March 31 this year, the city had suffered a similar tragedy when 23 people were killed in a car bomb blast near an Imambargah at midday. More than 70 others were wounded in the attack. Another person had died later after security forces opened fire on a crowd trying to hold a demonstration in front of the political agent’s office in protest against increasing terrorist attacks.

National Assembly Member from Parachinar Sajid Tori said that the critical injured would be shifted to Peshawar for treatment. Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra has condemned the brutal blast and prayed for the early recovery of injured. Some of the tribesmen said that the blasts occurred when the local people concluded rally arranged in connection with the Al Quds Day to show solidarity with the Palestinian people.