25 killed, more than 50 injured as blast rocks Parachinar

PARACHINAR: Twenty five people were killed and more than 50 others were injured when a bomb blast shook the city on Saturday morning. 

According to the political administration, the bomb blast took place at Eidgah market. 25 people were killed while scores of others were injured in the attack. Security forces have cordoned off the area and an operation is underway to determine and apprehend the culprits involved. 

The injured were shifted to the agency headquarters hospital. An eye witness claimed that at the time of the blast, a large number of people were present at the Sabzi Mandi, which is located inside the Eidgah market.  The bomb blast had been caused by an IED and had occurred at 08:50 am on Saturday morning. 

Geo News' correspondent Ali Fazal Afzal stated that the agency headquarter hospital was not equipped with the proper facilities to cater to so many people being injured. He revealed that the political administration had its security system in place. Check posts were installed at various locations in the city, as well as its entrance, where vehicles are searched for any explosive material.

According to the ISPR, army helicopters were shifting the injured to hospitals for medical treatment. Security forces have cordoned off the area and are conducting a search operation. The helicopters were shifting the injured from Parachinar to the CMH and LRH hospitals in Peshawar. Sources disclosed that each helicopter had a capacity of transporting 10-15 injured persons. 

This is reportedly the fourth time that a bomb blast has taken place in the same area. Three blasts have previously taken place at the same location over a couple of years.