Seven people, two of them police officers, were killed in a massive explosion in Pakistan’s teeming market district today. The blast also wounded others, causing panic among residents and a huge police and security response in the area.
The blast occurred during hours when shoppers, vendors and commuters had already been packed into the market area, local authorities said. Other nearby shops and vehicles were damaged by the blast, and emergency responders sprang to the scene to save people trapped beneath debris.
Two officers who were on the ground, two officers who had been assigned to duty in the market area, died in the explosion, officials said. Rescue crews took the injured to local hospitals; some of the victims were reportedly critical, depending on testimony. The early accounts have been that the explosion was believed to have been of an improvised explosive device (IED).
It was unclear what type of explosion it was, however. Bomb disposal teams, as well as forensic scientists, were being dispatched to gather evidence on-site with investigators, they said. Witnesses gave videos and pictures showing scenes of chaos following an explosion.
Some people fled in some panic to safety in the market area, and there was dense smoke everywhere. Some meters from the blast, there also occurred smashed windows and destroyed buildings, shopkeepers said. The police swiftly cordoned off the site, and searches were conducted for other explosives.
Local security has been reinforced. The assault drew condemnations and condolences from senior government officials to the families of the victims. Pakistan officials said those who attacked civilians and security guards would be prosecuted. And while there have been no group affiliations that have linked the blast with a direct attack.
At times, however, investigators have debated whether the attack was a product of militant groups based in sections of Pakistan. A wave of lethal bomb attacks in Pakistan in recent years. The attacks predominantly targeted security forces, public markets and religious sites.
Clearly, authorities are scrambling to sort out extremist violence in high-risk neighbourhoods. The final explosion inspired fresh fears of public safety and how prepared the streets needed to be to handle the crush of the civilian population inside them. Hospitals near the attack apparently launched an emergency response to cope with the surge of wounded patients. Officials also claim that they are encouraging people to be alert and report anything that seems suspicious or unattended in public places.
