2017_Lahore_explosion

2017 Lahore explosion

2017 Lahore explosion

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An explosion took place at around 10am on 23 February 2017 in a commercial market in Y-block of Defence, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, killing 10 people.[2]

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Events

The blast ripped through a building that was under construction at a commercial market in the affluent Defence area, replete with upmarket boutiques and cafes as well as an academy for the international hair salon Toni & Guy. At least 10 people were killed and dozens more injured.[1] The explosion happened a day after the Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad was launched, and was initially regarded as a terror attack.[3][4]

However, authorities later ruled out terrorism and said the explosion was caused by a gas leak from a cooking cylinder.[5][6] Punjab's Law Minister Rana Sanaullah blamed the confusion and chaos following the incident for the perception that it was a terrorist attack.[6]

The government's account of the nature of the incident was met with skepticism by others. Pakistani-American martial artist Bashir Ahmad, who narrowly escaped the explosion, said: "My driver told me it was a transformer blast but because of my military experience I knew that the vibration in the area was that of a bomb." A former U.S. Army medic who served in the Iraq War, Ahmad added: "There was just so much damage, nothing but a bomb could’ve caused such destruction."[7]

Alferno Café, situated in the basement of the building hit by the explosion, was damaged as a result. According to a worker at the cafe, the owner had bought five 45 kg gas cylinders a few days earlier, four of which were placed in the basement. Some workers had complained of a foul smell, which may have suggested leakage occurring. The worker added "My brother, Asif, lit a matchstick to smoke a cigarette which could have possibly triggered the explosion". He was killed in the explosion.[8]

References

  1. [1]
    "9 killed in explosion in Lahore's Defence area". 2017-02-23.A powerful explosion in an under-construction building in Lahore's busy Defence Y block area, left nine people dead and more than 20 injured.
  2. [2]
    "Blast hits Lahore Defence area market".
  3. [3]
    Shehzad, Muhammad. "Eight killed, 21 injured in bomb attack in Lahore's Defence".A day earlier, Pakistan’s military announced the launch of a new nationwide military offensive, codenamed Radd-ul-Fasaad (suppressing mischief), with an aim to eliminate remnants of terrorists, following a sharp spike in terrorist attacks.
  4. [4]
    Shehzad, Muhammad (23 February 2017). "Bomb attack in Lahore's Defence kills 8, injures 21". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
  5. [5]
    "Lahore DHA blast was an 'accident' caused by cylinder explosion: Rana Sanaullah". DAWN.COM. 24 February 2017. Retrieved 24 February 2017.
  6. [6]
    "Pakistan says gas leak, not bomb, behind Lahore blast". Al Jazeera. 24 February 2017. Retrieved 24 February 2017.
  7. [7]
    Ahmed, Zohaib (23 February 2017). "MMA star Bashir Ahmad narrowly escapes death in Lahore bomb blast". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 24 February 2017.
  8. [8]
    Shehzad, Muhammad (23 February 2017). "Eight dead as mystery blast wrecks Lahore cafe". Express Tribune. Retrieved 24 February 2017.
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