Bedian Road blast: PAF employee laid to rest in Lahore

LAHORE: The house of Pakistan Air Force employee Ovais echoed with mournful cries when his body was taken there after he succumbed to his injuries received from Bedian Road blast.

The deceased's uncle, Shabbir Hussain, told Geo News Ovais along with his wife and son had gone in the morning to buy medicines. He said they were passing by the area when the explosion took place, leaving the three, among many others, injured. "They were taken to General Hospital, but Ovais succumbed to the wounds."

The funeral prayers of Ovais were held at PAF Base Lahore where Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Governor Malik Muhammad Rafique Rajwana, Lahore Corps Commander Lieutenant General Sadiq Ali and other high-ups were also in attendance. Ovais was buried in a nearby graveyard. 

While the family grieved the death of their son, they also worried about the condition of Ovais' son and wife, who were under treatment.

Another blast victim, 70-year-old Muhammad Boota was also laid to rest in his native graveyard.  

Boota was a resident of a village situated near the site where the blast took place Wednesday morning. 

Like Ovais, Boota was also passing by the area when the explosives caught him. 

His funeral prayers were attended by Lahore Lord Mayor Colonel (retd) Mubashir, among others.

The explosion that killed over six people and injured at least 15 on Wednesday was said to be targetting a population census team in Lahore's Bedian Road, officials said.

Malik Ahmed Khan, a spokesperson for the Punjab government, confirmed the explosion to be a suicide attack. “The target seems to have been the census team and the soldiers accompanying them," he told Geo News.

With additional input from Mian Muhammad Abid in Lahore