LAHORE: At least 30 people suffered gunshot wounds in various areas of the city when unidentified people resorted to aerial firing to celebrate Pakistan cricket team’s victory late on Sunday.

A large number of people -- mostly youths -- came out on the roads to celebrate the cricket team’s victory in the ICC Champions Trophy final against India. Police seemed helpless in controlling the situation and looked like silent spectators as jubilant cricket fans put lives of others in danger.

Youngsters danced on major roads, including The Mall, Gulberg Main Boulevard, Liberty Chowk, Kalma Chowk, Canal Road, Mozang Chowk and Jail Road, and blocked them for traffic. They also shouted slogans in favour of the national team.

Most of the people affected by aerial firing belonged to Shadbagh, the Walled City, Islampura, Iqbal Town, Nawankot, Nawab Town and Johar

Town. The injured also included women and children who suffered bullet injuries while sleeping on the roofs of their houses. They were shifted to hospitals.

According to the medico-legal section of Jinnah, Mayo and Sir Ganga Ram hospitals, 10 people were injured in aerial firing. Six cases were reported in Services Hospital, two in General Hospital and the rest in other hospitals.

Syeda Bibi, a resident of Green Town, was among the injured. She was sleeping on the roof of her house when she was hit by a bullet. She was admitted to the Jinnah Hospital. Talal Husain and Kamal Khan who lived in Johar Town also received a similar injury. They were also admitted to the Jinnah Hospital.

Nida Rafaqat, a resident of Kot Kamboh, Nawankot, received a bullet injury on her right leg while sleeping on the roof. Irfan was injured in Hadiara, Ibrar in Johar Town, Talib Hussain in Bagrian, Zainab Bibi in Sattokatla and Younas in Nawab Town.

When contacted, the health department spokesperson did not deny the figures. However, he said they had not compiled the data of injured persons as the injuries were not fatal and most people had been discharged after initial treatment.

A police spokesman said they had arrested eight people for aerial firing on Sunday night. He said 13 cases had been registered against them in various areas of the city, including four in City division, two Civil Lines and seven in Iqbal Town.

He also said that they arrested 59 people for one-wheeling and registered 26 cases against them in various areas, including 15 in Civil Lines division, one in Saddar, four in Model Town and six in Iqbal Town.

Meanwhile, Capital City Police Officer Amin Wains held a meeting with DIGs, SPs, DSPs and SHOs at Police Lines Qila Gujjar Singh on Monday to review the security, law and order and crime control situation during the last ashra of Ramazan.

He ordered police officers to take stern action against those involved in robberies, thefts, one-wheeling and aerial firing.

Published in Dawn, June 20th, 2017