Railway station blast: Emergency declared at city’s public hospitals

Eight of the injured are reported to be in critical condition.

LAHORE:

The Punjab government declared an emergency in all public hospitals in the city after an explosion at a platform at the City Railway Station killed at least two and injured some 68 people on Tuesday evening.

Most of the injured were taken to the emergency ward at the nearby Mayo Hospital. “So far we have done 22 surgeries and more patients are coming with injures,” said a beleaguered doctor treating a patient at the ward. He said 55 patients had been brought to the hospital and four were in critical condition.

Rescue 1122 officials said that a total of 58 people had been injured and eight were in critical condition. Edhi officials said that around 65 people were injured.

Most of the injured were from outside Lahore. Relatives of passengers flocked to the emergency wards after the blasts. “My brother was going to Karachi from Lahore when I heard about the news of the blast. I arrived here and found him after much effort. He is being treated but I haven’t been allowed to see him yet,” said Muhammad Rizwan, an attendant at Mayo Hospital.

“We have declared an emergency situation here and are treating patients in the best possible way. Every thing is being done to ensure the best treatment for the injured,” said Mayo Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Zahid Pervaiz. Dr Asad Aslam, the vice chancellor of King Edward Medical University, of which Mayo Hospital is an attached institution, was also present.

The bodies of the two people confirmed dead in the blast were brought to Mayo Hospital from where they were handed over to their relatives. One of the deceased was Muhammad Boota, a porter, while the other was a police constable named Idrees who was deputed at the Railway Station, the hospital administration said.

A man named Asif Butt who claimed to have witnessed the explosion said that it originated from some luggage the porter was carrying. “I heard a blast and then I saw many people crying and lying on the floor around me,” he said.

Bomb Disposable Squad officials said that the bomb was planted at the platform.

“Those behind such blasts are the enemies of humanity and Pakistan. Innocent citizens who were going to their destinations in different cities have been targeted in this blast. Many of the injured are from other cities. I don’t want to blame anybody. The inquiry report will reveal the details of this incident,” said Governor Sardar Latif Khan Khosa in discussion with reporters after visiting the patients at Mayo Hospital.

Chief Minister’s Special Assistant on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique told reporters at Services Hospital that such blasts were taking place in Pakistan because of the country’s foreign policy.

Two of the injured were taken to Services Hospital and are in stable condition. At least seven were taken to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, from where two children were taken for treatment to Children’s Hospital.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 25^th, 2012.