Police yet to ascertain nature of Multan blast

MULTAN: As the death toll in the Sunday’s deadly blast rose to 11, a senior police officer said that law enforcement agencies have yet to confirm the nature of the blast.
But Multan RPO Tariq Masud Yasin, while talking to this scribe, said the security personnel had established the Vehari Chowk blast was a sabotage activity in which innocent civilians were targeted by using a remote-controlled device.
Earlier, the police had claimed that the explosion was a suicide attack, with some officials also stating that explosion was caused by collision between a bike and a rickshaw.
The investigation took a major turn after the bomb disposal squad confirmed the use of remote-controlled device in exploding six to seven kilograms of explosives. The blast had created a small (2x2) crater at the site, it added.
The RPO said no militant group had accepted the responsibility for the bombing and police were reviewing the incidents of same nature in which no militant group could accept the responsibility. He said the police had identified all the bodies and added that the sabotage activity was meant to spread terror and harassment among the general public.
According to Tariq, police were collecting evidence from the blast site to establish more possibilities. Moreover, the suspicious mutilated body has also been identified as the victim belonged to Jahanian, Khanewal district, and was a student. The deceased’s father is a tailor by profession in Jahanian. Earlier, it was feared that the body might be of a suicide bomber.
On the other hand, The News has learnt that apparently, the sabotage activity was a result of a frustrated Tehrik Taliban Pakistan after its members failed in carrying out their specific targets due to high security. As a result, they targeted a public place.
Multan is located a region dotted with thousands of seminaries, with several belonging to local Al-Qaeda-linked militant outfits.
Meanwhile, the Seetal Mari police have registered an FIR against unidentified accused under sections 302 and 324 of PPC and Section 7 of Anti Terrorism Act.
APP adds: DO (Civil Defence) Rana Tariq Waheed said a suicide attack usually did not leave crater on ground. Crater developed when bomb was placed on the ground or even at some height, one or two feet above. The bomb, it seemed, was placed at some height in case of the Vehari Chowk blast, the DO Civil Defence said. A senior police officer stated that it seemed as if the device was planted on some handcart.