BHAKKAR: At least 20 persons were killed and 75 others including MNA Rasheed Akbar Niwani injured in a suicide attack on a Niwani House gathering on Monday afternoon.

The MNA was listening to the problems facing the people of his constituency when the suicide bomber entered the place and blew himself up at 4:45 pm. According to another account, the MNA was exchanging Eid greetings at an Eid Milan party when the suicide bomber hit.

It was a gathering of around 100 people and almost all of them were either killed or injured. The injured were rushed to the Bhakkar District Headquarters Hospital, where an emergency was declared. Niwani was also among the injured under treatment at the DHQ Hospital.

The dead were identified as Haji Habib Ullah, Madah Hussain, Abdul Rasheed, Haji Ashiq, Ali Raza, Ashiq Hussain, Allah Nawaz, Ejaz Hussain, Abdul Rehman, Manzoor Hussain, Malik Haider, Zafar, Manzoor Rathi, Muzzammil, Azmat Abbas, Mulazim Hussain and Javed Iqbal. The identity of three victims could not be ascertained.

As the news of the blast spread, panic gripped the town. Markets were closed and people stayed home. Sources attributed a sectarian motive to the attack, which they feared might trigger tension in the area.

APP, Online add: The Interior Ministry confirmed 20 deaths as District Headquarters Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Ehsan said some 62 injured were brought to the hospital. DSP Khadim Hussain said some of the injured were in a serious condition. “It will be premature to say who is responsible for the attack,” he said, adding evidence was being collected. He added the suicide bomber’s head had been found.

The police officer said no one had claimed responsibility for the attack. Saeed Akbar Niwani said his brother Rasheed Niwani had only received minor injuries in the attack. Talking to a private TV channel, he said neither his brother nor he had received any threat from any side as they had always remained friendly toward others.

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif strongly condemned the suicide attack. The CM sent the IG police, the Punjab home secretary and the secretary health by his special plane to Bhakkar to probe the incident and supervise relief activities. The CM also directed the health secretary to provide the best treatment facilities to the injured free of cost.

Meanwhile, Punjab Inspector General Police Shaukat Javed said various investigation teams had been constituted to collect evidence and catch the culprits. Talking to Geo News, he said the remains of the suicide bomber were being collected for a DNA test. He said the help of people would be sought in detecting the gangs involved in such blasts. “Security has been tightened across the province.”

He said routine security measures were in place at the time of the blast as four policemen were guarding the MNA. But, he added, it was quite difficult to prevent a determined suicide bomber from launching an attack. As such, he said, no security lapse could be established.

Rasheed Akbar Niwani expressed his deep regrets over the death of 20 people in the suicide blast at his home and termed the “enhanced security after the blast” worthless. Talking to a private TV channel on Monday night, he disclosed that he had received threats a few months ago, but these had subsided during recent weeks.

He also said it was the responsibility of the government to provide security, but the police guard provided to him had been withdrawn by the government. He said because of the blast a large number of people fell on him and his arm was fractured.