Blast in Lahore leaves 30 injured

An explosion on Outfall Road in a fruit truck caused injuries to more than 30 people, including 2 women and 2 kids, on Monday night around 9pm in the provincial capital of Lahore. As many as four among the injured are said to be in a critical condition. Initial reports suggest that the blast occurred in a truck loaded with fruits that was parked in a plot. Due to the blast, a three-storied building caved in.

The police cordoned off the area and rescue services were immediately underway. Nine among the injured were shifted to Mayo Hospital while the rest to Mian Munshi Hospital. Due to a power breakdown in the area following the explosion, the hospitals faced difficulty treating the incoming patients, despite an emergency being imposed.

DIG Operations Lahore Dr Haider Ashraf said that all aspects of the incident will be investigated to ascertain the real cause of the explosion.

Witnesses have said that the intensity of the blast was so high that window panes of many houses in the area were shattered. Because of the impact of the explosion, the roof of a house also collapsed. A girl was recovered from the resulting debris and taken to a nearby hospital.

Ball bearings were also recovered from the area. The truck is suspected of having arrived from Swat. Since this is a fruit market located in a busy commercial hub of Lahore, security checkup is very limited in the area.

It is pertinent to mention here that the blast took place within the NA-120 constituency where by-elections will be held on September 17, after the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif, who was elected from this seat in 2013, from holding public office. As per the plan issued by PML-N, Nawaz Sharif was also supposed to return to Lahore through this route.

PTI candidate for NA-120 by-elections Yasmin Rashid went to the hospitals to attend to the injured patients. She criticized the government on lack of security arrangements and alleged that emergency services were unable to reach the affected in time.

Following the blast, Punjab CM Shehbaz Sharif sought report from the police IG about the incident. He directed that the blast be thoroughly investigated from every aspect and the responsible persons arrested as soon as possible. He also directed the administration to provide the best healthcare facilities to the injured, following which, provincial minister as well as the Health secretary personally supervised healthcare facilities being provided to the injured.

The spokesman of the Punjab government said that injured of the Outfall Road incident were being provided the best treatment facilities in the hospitals. The spokesman said that Rescue 1122 and other agencies immediately rushed to the venue of the incident, took part in aid activities and transferred the injured to hospitals well in the time. The spokesman said that doctors, nurses and paramedical staff were taking care of the injured in the hospitals and due to the prompt response of concerned departments of the Punjab government, the injured were transferred to the hospitals as early as possible.

The spokesman further said that the CM is still in contact with concerned departments and agencies.

TERROR RETURNS TO LAHORE

Last month, at least 26 people, including nine policemen, were martyred while over 60 others were injured in a suicide attack in the Ferozepur Road area of the provincial capital.

There have been several high-profile terrorism incidents in Lahore this year.

Another blast occurred in April, which targeted a census team, resulting in the deaths of six people, including five forces personnel.

Earlier this year, on February 13, a blast occurred in front of the Punjab Assembly, which targeted a camp of protesting chemists, leaving 12 people dead and almost 70 wounded.