MULTAN: Ten people were killed and 58 others injured in a blast at Vehari Chowk here on Sunday.

Regional Police Officer Tariq Masood Yasin told Dawn that one or more persons appeared to be carrying the explosives. It was not a suicide attack, he said. A forensics team was collecting evidence, he added.

According to him, eight people, including the person(s) carrying the explosive material, were killed and 58 injured.

Rescue 1122 said 10 people were killed.

The bodies and the injured were taken to the Nishtar Hospital.

A number of vehicles and shops were damaged.

District Coordination Officer Zahid Saleem Gondal said it certainly was a terrorist attack, adding that the body of the suspected bomber had been found at the place. He also said it was not a suicide attack because such attacks usually had their targets and so far police could not find one.

“It was possibly an accidental blast and the terrorists wanted to use the explosive material to target some other place or people,” he said.

RPO Tariq Masood said police did not find any suicide jacket or its parts. “We are collecting fingerprints and taking photographs of the dead and the injured. These would be examined to trace or identify the culprits,” he said, adding that the injured were being questioned.

Nishtar Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Ashiq Malik said nine bodies and 56 injured had been brought to the hospital. The condition of 12 of the injured was critical.

Agencies add: According to CPO Azhar Ikram, a motorcyclist carrying the explosive material collided with a rickshaw which caused the blast.

Rescue 1122 spokesperson Abdul Jabbar said a motorcycle, a car and six rickshaws were destroyed.

Dr Ashiq Malik said 15 people had been discharged after first aid.

The CPO said police initially thought the CNG cylinder installed in the rickshaw had detonated, but bomb disposal personnel later found traces of explosives.

He said police had launched an investigation and were trying to identify the passengers in the rickshaw in an effort to find out where the explosives had come from and why these were being transported.

According to Dawn.com, CPO Azhar said police had found ball bearings at the blast site.

The bomb disposal squad was called in to ascertain the cause of the blast. Police cordoned off the entire area. The sound of the explosion was heard in far-off areas.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif expressed grief and sorrow over the blast and asked rescue agencies to expedite relief efforts. He directed the authorities concerned to provide adequate medical care to the injured.

Published in Dawn, September 14th, 2015

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