Parks in Multan shut down over security concerns

MULTAN – In the wake of security concerns, all the parks in Multan city have been closed after Lahore park blast, reported on Monday.

According to details, the district administration held an important session regarding security arrangements in the metropolis.

During the meeting, it was unanimously decided to seal the parks including Qasim Bagh, Shah Shams Park and Chennab Park over poor safety measures. The authorities ordered to reopen the recreational places after ensuring foolproof security.

The participants also prepared strategic plan to avoid any untoward situation in the future.

Earlier on Sunday, at least 72 people were killed and hundreds injured, many of them children, when a suicide bomber blew himself up in a crowded park in Lahore.

Explosives packed with ball bearings ripped through crowds near a Gulshan Iqbal Park’s play area, leaving dozens dead or bloodied.

Witnesses described children screaming as people carried the injured in their arms, while frantic relatives searched for loved ones.

Officials said the toll -- already the highest in an attack this year -- was expected to rise. A Lahore rescue official confirmed 72 people were dead, and said the number of injured stood at 340.