Nightmarish crash: Explosives-triggered blast kills 11 in Multan

Police believe one of the two vehicles carried explosives; nearly 80 wounded

MULTAN:

At least 11 people were killed and many more injured in an explosion triggered by a collision between a motorcycle and an auto rickshaw that police officials believe was carrying some kind of explosives on a congested road in Multan Sunday evening.

The motorcycle bumped into the auto rickshaw at Vehari Square while entering Multan, witnesses said, adding that the rickshaw exploded on impact. Zahid Saleem Gondal, the district police officer, told journalists that it was a ‘suicide blast’, though the bomber’s target was not Vehari Square.



Vehari Square is the most congested area in Multan where terminals of all inter-city and intra-city buses are located. A large number of roadside vendors, fruit-sellers and hawkers add to congestion in the locality.

The blast occurred around 7:30pm and it was heard within a radius of two kilometres. Police initially thought the compressed natural gas cylinder installed in the auto rickshaw had detonated, but the Bomb Disposal Squad later confirmed it was triggered by some explosive material.

They said the blast involved over 10 kilos of explosives. However, they would not say whether the motorcyclist or those in the auto rickshaw carried the explosives. City Police Chief Azhar Akram added that investigators have also recovered ball bearings from the blast site where a huge crater was formed.

He further said that the police were trying to identify the passengers in the auto rickshaw in an effort to discover where the explosives had come from and why they were being transported.

Hospital sources and medics confirmed that 11 people were killed and nearly 80 wounded in the explosion that destroyed around 52 shops in the vicinity and damaged nearly seven passenger vans and three cars.

Medics at Multan’s biggest Nishtar Hospital confirmed they received five bodies and 63 injured people – including women and children. Five injured died at the hospital, while 16 injured are listed in a critical condition. Some of the injured were discharged after their wounds were dressed. Rescuers told The Express Tribune that another 16 injured were driven to other hospitals in the city.

Soon after the blast Regional Police Officer DIG Tariq Masood Yasin put the security on red alert across Multan division that includes the districts of Khanewal, Vehari, Lodhran and Multan – part of south Punjab which is rife with sectarian militants allied to the Taliban.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif expressed deep grief and sorrow over the loss of precious lives in the blast.      According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister House, Nawaz directed the rescue agencies to speed up relief efforts. He also directed health authorities to provide special medicalcare to the injured.

The prime minister prayed for eternal peace of the departed souls and commiserated with the bereaved families.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 14^th,  2015.