Peshawar burns again: Another day of trauma

Emergency declared at LRH, additional staff brought in from other hospitals.

PESHAWAR:

The city witnessed a consecutive bloodstained Sunday and the Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) was home to chaos and trauma once again after a deadly car bomb ripped through Qissa Khwani Bazaar.

At least 38 people died and 91 were injured when a car laden with explosives went off in the historic market. The doctors and nurses of LRH yet again proved their mettle by providing treatment to scores of injured amidst the frenzy.

According to the media wing of the LRH, 129 people were brought to the hospital, 38 of them, including seven women, were dead on arrival. 91 were brought in wounded and included three women and 15 children. Out of the 91, 11 were said to be in critical condition until this report was filed.

Devastating loss

Seventeen members of a family, including seven children, perished in the attack. The family belonged to Baro Khel village in Matta Mughal Khel, Charsadda and was visiting Peshawar to shop for a wedding scheduled next month.

Anguished wails of a young man filled the corridors of the emergency ward. “I am destroyed, my whole family is gone. What will I do in the house all by myself.” People attempted to comfort him but who can console a man who has lost his mother, sisters, brothers and cousins in minutes.

Fazal Rehman, a volunteer working in the hospital’s morgue, said the bodies which had been put in coffins were burned and mutilated beyond recognition.

Visitors pour in

Talking to journalists after visiting the victims at the LRH, Awami National Party senior leader and former information minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain said terrorists have entered the entire province and Peshawar’s borders should be sealed from all sides.

“They do not move in big vehicles, they walk amongst us. The provincial government should carry out a search operation across the city,” said Hussain, adding the government had failed to provide security to the people of the province.

Jamaat-e-Islami leader and provincial Finance Minister Sirajul Haq also visited the hospital and inquired about the victims.

The minister insisted in the absence of talks with the Taliban the issue of militancy will persist. “The government should now immediately talk to the federal government to work out a solution to the problem,” said Haq.

Health Minister Shaukat Yousafzai also visited the hospital and said emergency has been declared and all facilities have been provided to the patients.

“Nurses and doctors from other hospitals have also reached the LRH and every patient will be given proper treatment,” the health minister said.

Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser strongly condemned the brutal attack. Qaiser said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan has demanded time and again talks be held with the Taliban. “Our party promised peace to the country and we will do all in our power to achieve it,” said Qaiser.

“We will not leave victims of terrorism alone and will provide all necessary medical facilities to them,” he insisted. “PTI members and workers are present here and have provided 1,000 bags of blood to the hospital,” claimed the speaker.

@IftikharFirdous Right now the whole village is mourning, Waiting for the dead bodies to arrive. This is a big blow to humanity.

— Fareed AHMED (@FareedAhmedKhan) September 29, 2013

Peshawar's historic Storytellers market where I loved to sit in teashops & hear tales of old blown up today - 3rd bomb this wk

— christinalamb (@christinalamb) September 29, 2013

So they attacked Qissa-Khwani again, exactly a week after All Saints Church attack| Peshawar blast kills 33http://t.co/KzVy4kVkF9

— Mujib Mashal (@MujMash) September 29, 2013

Published in The Express Tribune, September 30^th, 2013.