Ojhri Camp still haunts Rwp/Isl and the residents of the Capital.
Thankfully today this wasn’t another terror attack, but an unfortunate accident, which sure refreshes the memories from 1987 when Islamabad and Pindi were ‘under attack’ at 8am from an ‘unknown enemy’. What a day it was…
In today’s blast apparently an old rocket blew up killing one injuring a few.
RAWALPINDI: An unknown labourer was killed and 8 persons were injured after a missile exploded during excavation work here Friday near Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium (RCS).
Some labourers were engaged in excavation work. All of a sudden blast rocked the area when shovel of a labourer hit underground explosive material.
The material exploded with a big bang tossing two of the labourers afar. Legs of one of the injured were torn apart from the body. Two among the injured are stated to be in precarious condition. All the injured persons were rushed to the hospital.
Heavy contingent of police reached the scene and sealed the area immediately. Those who were injured included a labourer Abdul Aziz, Sohail Malik, Shahid, Ahsan, Jibran, Shahid, Farhan and Khalid.
SP City Sardar Maqsood ruled out possibility of terrorism or sabotage saying the missile is one amongst those which were buried during Ojri camp tragedy. The explosive material is stated to be bullet of the missile.
District Police Officer Saud Aziz told that one Sohail had employed labourers in digging work for expansion in basements. During the course of digging, shovel of a labourer hit explosive material lying underground.
With a big bang some thing of one inch diameter floated high in the air and pierced out of a roof of van standing over there. This shows that it may the part of some spent rocket or missile which was buried during Ojri camp tragedy in 1988.
The memories of that fateful day still haunts me, and this camp was right next to our house, but thanks to Allah, we were safe, my chacha's apartment was completely destroyed though.
^^ a weapon compound for weapons that were being funneled to mujahideens in afghanistan fighting against soviets that exploded, killed thousands of people,
Theres different theories as to what caused the blasts, and that one incident where there was an actual fire a few days prior to the actualy tragedy... I blame Zia though, when Junejo wanted to probe the event, Zia sent him packing, which proves he was guilty.
I was very small, but I remember seeing bodies without heads! That is probably the most tragic thing that happened in the twin cities.
The Americans were coming to take inventory of the items supplied to Afghan mujahideen through us. My relatives in PA tell me that a lot of it was "diverted" by Gen. Akhtar who was DG ISI under Zia's orders and the blast was staged to prevent the Americans from finding out.
Both Akhtar and Haqs family suddenly came out into politics as multi millionaires after their parents passing and are now leading lights in Musharrafs cabinet. The camp explosion was probably the biggest corruption scandal coverup in Pakistans history at the time, probably only topped by some of the stock market or steel mill scandals.
^ Yeah, he was at work, and chachi was at our place... It was really interesting how the missle went into their place... We also had a unfused missile which landed in a park infront of our house about 10 days after the incident, and 50 faujiz came and took it away. Do you remember the Khaqan Abbasi story? Pretty tragic, his dad died, and he was in coma for like 12+ years on life support.
Few years back NA tried to force Musharraf to release the investigation reports on Ojhri camp blast but it was denied citing "national security" reasons. The powerful always protect one another.
Bhai, this is Pakistan, everyone knows sensitive information. Besides, this is common knowledge, just like the various views on Zia's death. I believe many papers reported on the inspection angle and one former US congressman also wrote about that in his memoirs some time ago.
whats common knowledge and what published in papers or in someones book is different than whats passed down from lets say an insider like your relatives in Pakistan Army. A big difference yaar.
We were in Pindi, very close to the Presidency. At first I thought it was an aerial attack (from India perhaps), so i looked the at skies all over to see the fighter jets but found none. Dad called on fone and said to stay indoors.
I kept asking my dad to tell me what had happened at the Ojhri Camp and he doesnt say much except whats already known. For him its a State secret which he wil take with him to his grave. Now I call that a man of principle.
You can commit a crime that kills innocent people but get away with it if it's a state secret? That's the attitude we have to change in Pakistan. Justice is more important than the national "pride or ego" of Pakistan.
^^ I agree. Who will speak for the relatives of the innocents who perished? It is one thing if the state secret was related to nuclear weapon related matters etc but a blast that was staged to cover up the enrichment of Generals is not worthy of national security designation. If it was in the US, the kin of the victims would have sued to collect the last penny from Humayun Akhtar and Ejaz-ul-Haq. Khayr, chalk this up to another one of "sensitive" information meant to protect the powerful. :(
The person most widely speculate for the Ojhri incident, i.e, Gen Zia, died mysteriously in the plane crash the next year. A lot of innocent died that day and I know cos i was there in the city.
Baaki reh gaye folks like you who come on internet forums with their hidden hatred for some in Pakistan, be it the Generals or Army or Punjabis or Mohajirs and all you can do is point fingers and throw sh!t at the fan. In Punjabi, we call this chaskay lena.