PESHAWAR – As many as 50 persons were killed and more than 100 were injured when a suicide car bomb
blast wreaked havoc in the main Sukarno Chowk of Khyber Bazaar right in front of Karachi Market on Friday
noon.
Police sources and eyewitnesses said that the explosives along with other ammunition were planted in white
colour Alto car parked near a passenger bus. It was not yet confirmed whether the suicide bomber was present
inside this car or whether he stayed away from the blast site. However, the official and SPP operation
Mohammad Karim confirmed that the blast was a suicide one. The injured were shifted to Lady Reading
Hospital Peshawar for emergency medical assistance. The sound of explosion was heard in long distance while
black smoke engulfed the Khyber Bazaar. The figure of the death toll may increase further as the condition of
more than fifty other victims was stated to be critical.
The blast site was five hundred meters away from the provincial Assembly buildings where the premises of High
Court, Bench of Supreme Court and Lady Reading hospital were also near to the site. The target of the bomb
was probably the session of Provincial assembly, which was to continue and later adjourned till Tuesday in the
wake of the tragic incident.
The blast was deadly and caused major human and property losses. Fear and panic gripped all over the City.
The people quit their businesses and rushed towards the blast site, and emergency was imposed in all the
hospitals of Peshawar.
The rescuers rushed towards the blast site and contributed bravely in the relief activities, they also appealed for
blood donations. The body parts of the killed persons were lying in a scattered condition in Khyber Bazaar. The
explosive laden car also caused major damage to a passenger bus in which 24 to 30 people were on board,
except minor children all of the passengers badly mutilated in the blast and some of them succumbed to their
injuries on the way to Hospital.
The injured were shifted to Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar for treatment. Hospital sources confirmed killing of
49 persons and injuring of 106, while more than fifty are still in critical condition. Some of the dead bodies have
been handed over to their relatives while some are still lying on the stretchers with out exact identity. The killed
persons also included seven persons of the same family who were on their way to attend a marriage ceremony.
Soon after the blast, police and officials of the secret agencies cordoned off the site and collected evidences. IG
bomb disposal squad Malik Shafqat also confirmed that the blast was suicide and around 50 Kilogram
explosives including some other kind of ammunitions were used in the attack.
NWFP Minister Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain, Senior Minister Bashir Ahmad Bilour, Provincial
Sports Minister Syed Aqil Shah also visited the site of explosion. They strongly condemned the incident and
termed it inhuman act of terrorism. Provincial Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain said that the terrorists
were targeting innocent people to exert pressure on the government, but their evil designs must be foiled.
The Minister said, the militants have been defeated in Malakand and the Government will continue to chase
these terrorists. He said that war against militancy would continue till elimination of last terrorist. Meanwhile Chief
Minister NWFP Ameer Haider Khan Hoti strongly condemned the blast and ordered a high level inquiry. He also
directed to Hospital authorities to deliver free of cost treatment to the injured persons. He announced Rs one
Lakh for injured persons and Rs 300000 for those who were killed in the tragic incident.
Central president of Awami National Party and Provincial President Afrasiab Khattak also condemned the blast
and expressed their deep concern over the killing of innocent persons. He termed it a conspiracy to sabotage
the peace process in NWFP. He said that they are ready to sacrifices till elimination of last terrorist. They said
that terrorists want to spread fear and panic among the masses.
Meanwhile, the Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) administration has released a list carrying names of some 29
identified persons who were killed in the blast, while 20 others remained unidentified.
Dr. Sheraz Afridi, the In-charge Causality Ward of LRH, said women and children were also among the
deceased. The deceased included Atiqullah, Ayaz son of Pervez, resident of Aza Khail, Daod, Haleem Saeed
son of Khan, Saeed resident of Sir Band, Iftikhar Ahsanullah son of Hasan Noman, Irshad Khan, Ashfaq, Jaan
Sher, Musa, Murad Ali, Nasir Ahmed, Raheel, Zubair Shah, Shoaib Niazi, Samiullah, Sarfaraz, Shakirullah son
of Mohammad Umar resident of Bashir Abad, Sher Gul, Sher Muhammad Iqbal and Ziauddin. Two Afghan
nationals Aamna and Atiqullah were also among the deceased.