After a huge blast in Pakistan's Dera Ghazi Khan in Punjab province rocked the country on Friday, the district administration has said that it could be a result of a 'sonic boom' and denied any act of terrorism.
The blast was reportedly heard in the vicinity of the Pakistan Army's nuclear facility in DG Khan and reverberated from 30-50 kilometres away in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, causing panic among residents. Videos on social media show police vehicles, fire personnel and ambulances apparently rushing to the site of the explosion.
Dawn reported the DG Khan Commissioner's spokesperson Mazhar Sheerani confirming that a large explosion was heard in the city. "Concerned departments have presented an initial report after investigation," he said.
There were no reports of terrorism, vandalism, accident or damage as per Rescue 1122, police, sensitive institutions or the public, said Sheerani. "There is a strong possibility that the sound barrier of a warship broke, but final confirmation is pending," he added.
Commissioner Nasir Mehmood also confirmed that an explosion was heard and said that security agencies and eyewitnesses refuted reports of any bomb blast or other incident. He also said that the noise was likely caused by the “breakage of sound barrier” which is "normal".
Suicide blasts in Pakistan
This comes after a spade of suicide blasts in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces earlier this month, which claimed the lives of at least 65 people.
Mastung Assistant Commissioner Attahul Munim said that a suicide bomber blew himself up near the vehicle of Mastung Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Nawaz Gishkori, who was among the deceased. In less than 24 hours after a massive suicide blast in Balochistan's Mastung district, another suicide explosion at a mosque in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Hangu district claimed five lives and injured 12 people on Friday.
According to provincial interim Information Minister Feroze Jamal, two suicide bombers managed to reach the mosque but their entries were restricted by police officers stationed there. One of the attackers was killed during a shootout with the police at the gate, while the other entered the mosque and blew himself up.
Meanwhile, in the wake of the Mastung explosion and the twin suicide blasts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Hangu district yesterday, Pakistan has vowed to strike all terrorist groups, including the Islamic State (ISIS) and the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP).
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