RAWALPINDI, March 17: The death toll in Monday’s Pirwadhai bomb blast increased to 15 on Tuesday.

Ten of the 25 people injured in the explosion are in the district headquarters hospital and two in the Military Hospital. They are said to be in stable condition.

Twelve bodies were handed over to relatives while three are yet to be identified.

Regional Police Officer Nasir Khan Durrani said that parts of charred bodies had been preserved for DNA tests.

No-one has claimed responsibility for the first serious attack targeting the general public in the city since 2002.

A team, headed by the superintendent of police investigation and comprising police and CID officers, looked for clues at the site of the blast on Tuesday.

The injured and a number of people living in adjoining areas are being questioned.

Eyewitnesses said that although they had not seen the face of the bomber, they saw him walking towards a passenger wagon where he blew himself up.

Police said they were unable to prepare the sketch of the bomber’s face because his head had been smashed beyond recognition.

The SP investigation said: “Powerful explosives were used in the attack and the bodies of most of the victims were charred.

Meanwhile, City Police Officer Inayatullah Farooqi met representatives of transport unions and bus-stand owners to work out an effective security plan.

He asked them to check the passengers and their baggage with CCTV cameras and metal detectors and deploy private security guards around bus-stands.
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