An object identified as a meteorite fell into a grazing ground near Bhakkar last week leaving the animals and shepherds in the area stunned. Scientific experts from the Punjab Geology Department (PGD) will be performing further analysis on the stone to determine its nature and authenticity.
Several eyewitnesses present on site relayed that a stone from the sky fell into a grazing ground near the rural establishment on Thursday afternoon. However, they were afraid to touch it and got in touch with the relevant authorities.
The residents of Kanyal claimed that just before the stone hit the ground they heard a sound similar to that of a raging storm despite the weather being perfectly clear that day. They also said that a loud explosion ran through a five-kilometre radius of town Panjgrain after the stone fell from the sky.
The stone weighed around three to four kilogrammes and was blackened all around. It was first believed to be a sort of explosive that had mistakenly fallen off some plane which had been circling the area that day.
The local police station told the people to bury the stone in the ground and leave it for the police to collect it the next day. However, upon contacting the Military Intelligence, the officials concerned gave directions for the stone to be brought to the central police station in Darya Khan immediately.
The stone was then dispatched to the Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) in Lahore for further analysis. From there it was transferred to the Punjab University Geology Department, which would perform more studies on the stone.
Meteorites are small bodies of matter from space, which hit the surface of the earth. They are different from meteors which are bodies of matter that burn into a load of dust and fire upon entering the atmosphere of earth, while meteoroids are bodies of matter that have not entered the atmosphere of earth, yet.