Five martyred in Sukkur cement factory blast

SUKKUR: Five people, including security personnel, were martyred and eight others were injured in a blast while defusing explosives at a cement factory in Sukkur on Tuesday. Sukkur DIG Feroze Shah said the explosion took place when the security personnel were engaged in defusing the explosives. The blast resulted in the martyrdom of five people – including two policemen, a Rangers official and two labourers. Six Rangers personnel, the factory manager and a labourer were injured the blast.

A heavy contingent of police arrived at the venue following the incident and started the rescue operation. The injured were shifted to a nearby hospital. Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah took notice of the matter and sought report with complete details of the incident, including where and how the explosives were placed inside the factory and who brought them there. –INP

Our correspondent adds: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, taking serious notice of the ammunition blast at Rohri Cement Factory, has directed the IG police to inquire into the incident which claimed precious lives and report to him.

A handout issued by the CM House on Tuesday said the chief minister, raising some basic questions, asked the IG police as to why ammunition was dumped at the factory? If the dumped ammunition was for crushing purposes only, then why such a serious situation developed that the factory administration had to call the bomb disposal squad to defuse it? Whether the factory administration was authorised to procure and dump the ammunition in such a quantity or not and whether they have had a storage facility for the purpose or not?

"This inquiry must be conducted on the questions I have raised," the CM said and added that he would like to know whether the bomb

disposal squad members were trained enough or not.  Meanwhile, the chief minister directed his Principal Secretary Sohail Rajput to coordinate with divisional administration, Sukkur, and provide them his helicopter and arrange an air ambulance, if required to shift injured personnel of the incident to Karachi. The chief minister expressed his profound grief and sorrow over the loss of life in the blast and assured the victims' families of his full support and cooperation.