Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said on Friday that the blast in Lahore's DHA area a day earlier was not an act of terror but an "accident", as forensic samples collected from the site had shown that the blast was a cylinder explosion.

Six samples collected from the building where the blast that killed 10 people took place did not contain traces of explosives, he told a news conference, quoting a forensics laboratory report.

"Yesterday's explosion was an accident and not a terrorist or explosives blast," he said.

He said the collected samples had hinted at a gas leakage and shown presence of cylinders in the building.

Also read: Rana Sanaullah shifts blame for Lahore blast on protesters

"We will take strict action against authorities involved in making substandard cylinders that led to this explosion," he said.

The damage from the blast can be seen in this photo.— AP
The damage from the blast can be seen in this photo.— AP

Explaining the delay in determining the nature of the blast, he said due to the extensive damage caused by the blast, the forensics team could not collect samples from the site until the debris had been cleared, which took some time.

The assessment of samples at forensics laboratory requires around 6-8 hours, he said.

The minister regretted that some TV channels had given the DHA blast spin of a terrorism incident and later ran news of another blast that caused "fear and panic" among the citizens.

PSL final

Answering a question, Sanaullah said the decision about whether the Pakistan Super League (PSL) final will be held in Lahore or not will be shared with the public today.

He said Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif was meant to chair a meeting on the PSL final on Thursday but it could not be held due to the DHA incident.

Thursday’s blast at an under-construction cafe in the Defence Housing Authority area’s Z Block killed its owner Moazam Paracha, who was also chief executive officer of telecom company Airlink. Sanaullah said the blast had killed seven people and injured 35 others.

The explosion, which was given a mysterious touch by an unending variety of explanations from police officers, partially damaged some nearby buildings. Some vehicles and motorbikes parked in the immediate surroundings were also damaged.

According to witnesses, the explosion was followed by a storm of dust and panic in the vicinity.

There were conflicting reports about the nature of the blast from the beginning. It was by turns termed a cylinder blast and a time bomb. Later in the day, some police officers returned to the original claim that it was a cylinder explosion. One officer said the material that exploded might have been stored in the building, as opposed to some individual terrorist or a network planting it there.

Opinion

Editorial

Ghastly attack
Updated 12 Oct, 2024

Ghastly attack

Duki attack comes at a time when Pakistan’s foreign friends are looking to make major investments in the country, while SCO moot kicks off next week.
Saudi investments
12 Oct, 2024

Saudi investments

THE Saudi investment commitments to Islamabad seem to be taking tangible shape after months of uncertainty around...
Into the abyss
12 Oct, 2024

Into the abyss

THE Pakistan cricket team continues to set unwanted records. On Friday, Shan Masood’s men became the first team in...
Disaffected voices
11 Oct, 2024

Disaffected voices

A FRESH stand-off is brewing between the state, and the recently banned PTM, principally over the tribal jirga that...
Joint anti-smog steps
11 Oct, 2024

Joint anti-smog steps

CLIMATE change knows no borders. Hence, much of the world is striving to control the rapidly rising global...
Agri taxes
11 Oct, 2024

Agri taxes

IT is not a good omen that reforms are once again being delayed. According to the finance minister, a new tax regime...