The death toll in Friday’s two back-to-back blasts in one of the busiest neighbourhoods in Parachinar rose to 57 on Saturday. Hours after a suicide car bombing in Quetta on Friday, two blasts had ripped through the main market of the town in Kurram Agency.
The first blast took place at around 5pm in Turi Market, located on the edge of the recently-designated Red Zone, said a senior administration official. The second explosion occurred when rescuers and bystanders rushed to help the survivors of the first blast.
There were some reports that a procession held in connection with Al-Quds Day was the real target. “A rally was held in connection with Al-Quds Day immediately after Friday prayers,” an official said.
“However, the procession culminated at the main imambargah after passing through its traditional route.”
The participants then walked to the market to buy food items for iftar when the first explosion took place, the official said. “The explosive device was planted at the market,” the official added.
“As rescuers and bystanders rushed to help the casualties, a suicide bomber detonated the explosives strapped to his body, causing several casualties.”
The account was corroborated by local lawmaker Sajid Hussain Turi. “People who were busy shopping for iftar rushed to the blast site,” he told. “And minutes later, a second explosion took place killing several people,” he added.
“The hospital is strewn with body parts,” eyewitness Ali Hussain said. A tribal elder said it was difficult to figure out how many people had actually died.
Soon after the blasts, security personnel rushed to the site and cordoned off the area. The injured were rushed to the hospital. Two helicopters were rushed to Parachinar that airlifted 15 critically injured victims to Peshawar, according to the military’s media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
ISPR Director-General Maj-Gen Asif Ghafoor tweeted, “Security/surv of Pak-Afg Bdr enhanced. Stringent actions agst illegal Bdr crossers. Recent terrorist incidents linked to sanctuaries across.”
Angry protesters ransacked the Parachinar Press Club and severely injured five journalists. The police fired gunshots in the air to disperse them.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday also condemned the twin bombings in Parachinar and the suicide attack in Quetta.
This was the third major bomb attack in the Kurram Agency this year.
