2017 Lahore explosion

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]

2017 Lahore explosion
Y-Block Market is located in Lahore
Y-Block Market
Y-Block Market
Y-Block Market is located in Punjab, Pakistan
Y-Block Market
Y-Block Market
Y-Block Market is located in Pakistan
Y-Block Market
Y-Block Market
Date23 February 2017
LocationDefence, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Coordinates31°28′25.4″N 74°22′38.6″E
Deaths10[1]
Non-fatal injuries31+

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. "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. "Blast hits Lahore Defence area market".
  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. Shehzad, Muhammad (23 February 2017). "Bomb attack in Lahore's Defence kills 8, injures 21". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
  5. "Lahore DHA blast was an 'accident' caused by cylinder explosion: Rana Sanaullah". DAWN.COM. 24 February 2017. Retrieved 24 February 2017.
  6. "Pakistan says gas leak, not bomb, behind Lahore blast". Al Jazeera. 24 February 2017. Retrieved 24 February 2017.
  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. Shehzad, Muhammad (23 February 2017). "Eight dead as mystery blast wrecks Lahore cafe". Express Tribune. Retrieved 24 February 2017.
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