‘False report’: Victims of gas explosion claim incident was act of terrorism

Say autopsy reports of the deceased show it was a bomb blast.

CHARSADDA:

The victims of a gas explosion which occurred in a house on December 30 in Wardaga, Charsadda claim the blast was but an “act of terrorism.”

A woman and her two children were killed in the explosion which police speculated to be the result of a gas leakage. Three neighbouring houses were also burnt to the ground in the incident.

The house owner and husband of the deceased woman, Muhammad Asif, while talking to The Express Tribune said the explosion caused the roof of the house to collapse, killing his wife and minor children.

Asif added only his nine-month-old daughter survived.

“It is a mockery to the deceased to say they were killed by a gas leak as at that time we had neither gas nor electricity in the house,” insisted Asif.

His neighbour, Saeed Ahmad, said his hujra was completely destroyed along with the vehicles parked at his house.

Arshad, whose house was also destroyed in the incident, criticised the police report terming it false. He claimed the autopsy reports of the deceased also showed it was not a mishap but a bomb blast.

The victims maintained the federal and provincial governments should conduct an impartial investigation into the incident.

They demanded the government give a Shuhada Package to the victims’ family, and provide aid for reconstruction of the destroyed houses.

When contacted, Charsadda DPO Shafiullah Khan said the blast seemed like a gas leak explosion but police could not confirm that till the investigation is complete. He added a case has been filed at Sardheri police station.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 12^th, 2014.