BAHAWALNAGAR   -  At least two people were killed and 59 injured on Thursday after a bomb ripped through a Muharram procession in Bahawalnagar district.

Security was high across the country as Youm-e-Ashur, the 10th of Muharram, was being observed on Thursday with due solemnity to pay homage to the supreme sacrifice rendered by Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA) and his companions at Karbala.

“We have confirmation of two dead and 59 injured from the blast at the procession site,” said a senior government official in Bahawalnagar. Social media videos showed bleeding victims lying on a road being helped by members of the public.

Speaking to media the Home minister said that a man hurled a grenade at a procession passing by Jamia Masjid in Muhajir Colony in Bahawalnagar at around 10am, adding that the attacker had been taken into custody.

Basharat said besides the two people killed in the explosion, two of the injured were in critical condition and undergoing treatment at Bahawalpur Victoria Hospital, where all wounded had been shifted. Rangers have been deployed in the area, while further investigation is underway, he added.

Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar chaired a high-level meeting at the Safe City Authority and ordered the Counter Terrorism Department to submit a report on the Bahawalnagar blast after completing the combing operation and investigation.

The Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) strongly condemned the “cracker attack” in a statement shared on Twitter by PUC president and Special Representative of the Prime Minister on Religious Harmony Hafiz Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi. “Anti-Islam and anti-Pakistan elements want to spread terrorism and extremism to create chaos in Pakistan, have been made unsuccessful by the Pakistani nation in the past and will be made unsuccessful now as well,” the statement said.

Senator Sehar Kamran also issued a condemnation, calling it a “cracker attack” and prayed for the recovery of those who were injured.

Earlier, videos circulating on social media showed police and ambulances rushing towards the site of the incident. They also showed wounded citizens waiting for help by the road side. Communications in the area were difficult as authorities had suspended mobile phone service across the country during the Ashura for security reasons.

Rs1m announced for the deceased of Bahawalnagar incident

Punjab Minister for Zakat and Ushr Shaukat Lalika held a press conference in Bahawalnagar today in connection with yesterday’s bomb blast in Ashura procession.

Additional IG South Punjab, Capt (retd) Zafar Iqbal, Commissioner Bahawalpur Division Capt (retd) Zafar Iqbal, Regional Police Officer Bahawalpur Zubair Dareshak, Deputy Commissioner and DPO Bahawalnagar were also present at the press conference. Provincial Minister told that a cracker blast occurred during the Ashura procession. 

Provincial Minister Shaukat Lalika said that accused had been arrested and all relevant aspects were being investigated.  He said that it was suspected that an external hand was involved in the blast. The procession was attacked with a hand grenade. FIR of the incident was registered at CTD Multan Police Station. As many as two killed and 35 people were injured in the blast. The Punjab government would give Rs 1 million to those killed in the blast. On duty DSP, SHO, in-charge Security Branch and other officers were suspended on charges of negligence. Funeral prayers of minor girl and youth killed in the blast were offered.