Punjab government is conducting a survey to assess the degree of damages occurred to private property in Wednesday's bomb blast in the city of Lahore that killed 30 people and left 250 civilians and security personnel severely injured. The intensity of the blast had damaged the properties in and around the Lahore CCPO's office, being hit by the explosive laden van in the early morning hours.
The powerful blast not only did damages to human lives but its impact smashed a large number of vehicles, windowpanes of adjacent buildings in the area, causing severe injuries to the people falling in their range. According to an early estimate, shops and car showrooms of the affected area suffered loss of millions of rupees.
The showroom owners told Business Recorder that over 80 vehicles and dozens of adjacent and nearby buildings mostly used for shops and offices were damaged in the blast. Almost all the private properties including buildings and vehicles situated in a radius of two kilometres suffered the damages done by the blast.
Brand-new cars in a showroom on Queen's Road lay twisted and burnt-out on the street. 'We had no option but to face the brunt,' Muhammad Jibran, a tailor on Lawrence Road said. According to him, the cost of his glass that was smashed following the blast could reach to half a million.
However, in the same breath, the government had assured of compensation when blast at FIA building took place, he added. But all in vein, as the government never turned up to keep its promises, he said. According to another showroom owner, dozens of brand new vehicles were destroyed in the blast.
'These vehicles were not insured,' he said. The intensity of the explosive did not spare even the innocent animals housed in the Lahore Zoo, as the Zoo officials reported death of a deer. The animals at the Lahore Zoo were still in a state of shock. According to the Zoo sources, the government had instructed to close down the Zoo for an indefinite period, unless the security agencies clear the security arrangements.
It may be noted that the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) building can also be approached from the Zoo. The Director of Lahore Zoo said that despite a single causality at the Zoo as a result of bomb blast, all the animals of the Zoo are still highly panicked and are avoiding their routine feed, since the blast took place.
When asked for how long the Zoo will remain closed, he said the government wanted to put in place a comprehensive security system and the Zoo would open as and when the government gives clearance. Moreover, the CCPO Lahore has instructed the citizens to keep their national identity cards while moving across the City.
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