Three Killed, 21 Injured In Johar Town Blast Incident

At least three people including two members of a family were killed while 21 others sustained injuries in a blast in BOR Society, Johar Town here on Wednesday

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jun, 2021 ) :At least three people including two members of a family were killed while 21 others sustained injuries in a blast in BOR Society, Johar Town here on Wednesday.

Due to blast, some vehicles were damaged and windowpanes of nearby houses were shattered. According to police, the dead were identified as Abdul Khaliq (30), his son Abdul Haq (5) while the identity of third victim has yet to be established.

The injured include: Ambreen (27), Abdul Malik, Maham Azhar (23), Umme Rubab (19), Moqadus Shahid (20), Abdul Quyyum (5), Hassan Ali (8), Liaqat Ali (28), Nasar (12), M. Umer (8), Safia (28), Fariha (20), Zahida (28), M. Atif (26), Abdur Rehman (25), Rimsha Javed (18), Ureej Asif (20), Javed (32), Tahir (30), M. Intezar (23) and another.

Soon after the explosion, police and rescue-1122 teams rushed to the spot and shifted the injured to the Jinnah Hospital besides providing first aid to six minor injured on the spot.

CCPO Ghulam Mehmood Dogar, DC Muddasar Riaz Malik, CTO Muntazir Mehdi, administrative and Rangers officials reached the spot.

Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar strongly condemned the blast incident and sought a report from Inspector General of Police (IGP) Punjab Inam Ghani in this regard. He directed that criminals involved in the blast be arrested at the earliest.

The CM also expressed deep sense of sorrow over the loss of precious human lives. He extended sympathies to the bereaved families. He said the Punjab government fully shared the grief of victims, adding that it was an attempt to sabotage law and order situation in the province. Perpetrators of the crime could not escape from the law and a handful of terrorists could not weaken the strong commitment of the nation, he added.

The anti-state elements were trying to destabilize peace through nefarious activities, he said and announced that heirs of deceased persons would be provided financial assistance while damages to properties would also be compensated.

Later, Minister Health Dr Yasmin Rashid visited the hospital and reviewed the medical treatment being provided to the injured. She directed the medical officials to provide the best healthcare facilities to the injured.

Talking to the media after visiting the site of blast, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Punjab, Inam Ghani said that terrorists wanted to demoralize the forces and citizens by carrying out cowardly attacks on law enforcement agencies, but the police would leave no stone unturned for taking such anti-social elements to the most strict sentence and punishment.

The IGP said that anti-state elements did not want to see peace, development and stability in the country and they were resorting to terrorist activities to disturb law and order situation.

He said the Punjab police would continue chase them till the elimination of terrorists and their facilitators.

He said that Punjab police would bring the masterminds and facilitators of the blast to justice.

Inam Ghani said that Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) teams were looking into all aspects of the incident and it would be premature to say anything about the incident. He directed the police officers to refrain from commenting on the incident.

He said that whatever would come to light in the investigation would be made public without any delay with the help of media. The law enforcement agencies received hundreds of threats every year and Punjab Police in collaboration with intelligence agencies thwarted the threats even before the incident, he maintained.

Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Lahore, Additional IG Ghulam Mahmood Dogar also visited Jinnah Hospital and inquired after the injured including police personnel of blast at BOR Society.

The CCPO expressed his deep sense of sorrow and grief over the loss of precious lives in blast.

He inquired the doctors about the medical facilities being provided to the injured police personnel and citizens.

Earlier, he visited the site of blast soon after the incident occurred and inspected the place of incident. He got complete information about the incident from the police officers concerned and issued them necessary directions including cordon off the area so as to ensure safety of citizens and preserve the evidences by the forensic agencies, bomb disposal squad and other law enforcement agencies.

Later, talking to the media, the CCPO said that such cowardly activities by the anti peace elements could not down the morale of police and law enforcement agencies. Law enforcement agencies concerned along with CTD and police were investigating the incident and would decide the nature of blast after complete investigation on the basis of evidence, he added.

Meanwhile, DIG Operations Lahore Sajid Kiani directed the officials to further beef up the security in the provincial capital followed by the blast in Johar Town. All divisional SPs have been directed to review security arrangements in their respective divisions and set up pickets for a thorough checking of people.

He directed the officials to properly check all vehicles at entry and exit points of the city. The DIG said that police would conduct search operations on daily basis in every division to maintain law and order situation of the city.

However, a facilitation center on the directions of Commissioner Lahore has been established in JinnahHospital for the relatives of injured persons of Johar Town blast incident. Duty officers would be presentat facilitation center round the clock to provide food and other facilities to them.