BAHAWALNAGAR: Outrage followed a hand grenade attack at the Central Imambargah here on Friday night with the demands of arrest of the attackers as well as foolproof security of the people.

According to police, the Central Imambargah, adjacent to the Saddar Police Station and footsteps from the DPO office, was attacked with a hand grenade at about 9pm on Friday night. No loss of life was reported in the incident. Police said only one constable was deployed for security of the imambargah and he was inside the building at the time of the attack.

“Two attackers of the age group of 22 to 24 came there on a motorcycle and hurled a grenade inside the imambargah over the main gate, which exploded with a loud noise,” said Syed Kaleem Altaf, an eyewitness of the incident.

At the time of the incident, Altaf, along with Syed Asim Raza (caretaker) and prayer leader Fakhar Husain Sial of Jhang, were present in the courtyard, he said and added that they had chased the miscreants who managed to flee, taking advantage of the darkness.

The attack spread panic among the residents of the area and scores of people took to the streets. The protesters took out a procession and staged a sit-in in front of the imambargah. They demanded full security for the mourners.

Deputy Commissioner Shafqatullah Mushtaq and District Police Officer Zaffar Buzdar visited the crime scene and inspected the security arrangements.

A-Division police registered a first information report (FIR) against two unidentified attackers on complaint of Syed Kaleem Altaf.

Published in Dawn, August 8th, 2021