Two killed in Ashura procession blast

BAHAWALPUR: Two persons including a seven-year-old girl were killed and more than 30 others were injured in a grenade attack on the Ashura procession in Jinnah Colony Bahawalnagar on Thursday.

At least, eight injured persons were stated to be in critical condition, and four of them were referred to the Bahawal Victoria Hospital, Bahawalpur. According to police and Rescue sources, the central mourning procession comprising over 500 mourners [Azadars] including women and children was taken out at 9:30am from Jamia-tuz-Zahra Imambargah in Jinnah Colony in the limits of Police Station B-Division. Passing through the prescribed route, the mourners reached near Jamia Masjid of Jinnah Colony, commonly known as Muhajir Colony, at Jail Road Bahawalnagar, at around 9:45am when a blast took place amidst the procession.

Sources said dozens of people were injured due to the blast and many others due to stampede. The injured were taken to the DHQ Hospital by Rescue-1122 teams and locals, while the administration declared emergency at the DHQ Hospital.

Police sources said that after the explosion, security forces and Rangers cordoned off the area and started a search operation. The police took a man, identified as Mursaleen, who is said to be the muezzin of the Jamia Masjid, into custody on suspicion and shifted him to an undisclosed location. After the blast, the mourners cancelled all activities of Ashura and gathered at Rafeeq Shah Chowk and staged a protest sit-in against the blast and killing of mourners. They declared it complete failure of the local police and administration and raised slogans against them.

The protesters alleged the administration of Jamia Masjid Jinnah Colony was involved in the grenade attack on the procession. They said earlier, on Aug 7, because of insufficient security for the Imambargah by the local administration, two motorcyclists had attacked the Central Imambargah in the limits of A-Division police, with a hand-grenade, which landed in the courtyard. They said the administration had promised to arrest the culprits and provide foolproof security to mourners.

However, the administration did not keep any of the promises, they added. The protestors vowed to continue their protest until registration of an FIR against those involved in the attack and their arrest.

Later, Punjab Minister for Zakat and Ushr Mian Shaukat Ali Laleka held negotiations with the protesters and also held a press conference along with Additional IGP South Punjab, Commissioner Bahawalpur, Deputy Commissioner, DPO Bahawalnagar and other officials. He said the incident was an attempt to ignite sectarian clashes in the area. He said the person involved in the attack had been nabbed and claimed that the arrested man had confessed to throwing the hand-grenade at the procession.

The minister said the facilitators would also be arrested soon. He said there was also suspicion of foreign hand in the attack. He said the FIR of the incident had been registered at the Multan CTD. He said that two people died in the attack and 35 were injured. The minister said that duty DSP, SHO, security in-charge and other officials had been suspended.

The minister announced Rs1 million compensation for the families of the deceased on behalf of Punjab chief minister. Financial aid would also be provided for the injured, he added. After the blast, the district administration had suspended mobile phone and internet services throughout the district which were restored on August 20 at 3pm.

According to the district emergency officer Bahawalnagar, 26 injured including women and children were shifted to the DHQ Hospital. He said Salman, son of Nazeer Ahmed (30), was killed on-the-spot and Merab Zahra (7), daughter of Dildar, succumbed to her injuries later on. He said Rescue-1122 ambulances shifted Ali Raza (22), Waseem (24), Shahbaz (32) and Syed Adil (40) to BVH Bahawalpur and Lahore due to their critical condition.

District Health Authority CEO Dr Asfandyar said out of total 26 injured, those with minor injuries had been discharged from hospital. However, 12 injured persons, including women and children, were undergoing treatment at the DHQ Hospital.

The CTD police lodged a case against the administration of the Jamia Masjid Jinnah Colony, Qari Barkullah, Qari Ibrar Chitrali, Qadeer Dewan Chaiwala and several other unidentified suspected on the complaint of Shahzaib Ali under Sections 302, 324 of PPC and 7 ATA in PS Anti-Terrorism Multan.