Angry Dasht-e-Barchi residents have lashed out at government over Wednesday night’s double-bombing and accused security forces of not doing enough to ensure their safety. 

Video footage taken on a phone by a member of the public before the second explosion shows how nothing was done to protect people from the blast. 

After the first explosion at the Maiwand wrestling club, residents raised the alarm over a dark blue Toyota Corolla that had been abandoned in the narrow street opposite the gym. 

Plain-clothed security force members are filmed opening the door of the vehicle after placing a jammer on the windshield. 

However, in this video, members of the public and the media are allowed to wander around the vehicle freely. No security cordons were in place to protect the people – neither at the scene of the first explosion, nor at the suspicious vehicle. 

An hour after the gym explosion, the same blue Toyota Corolla blew up, eyewitnesses reported. 

Social media users asked the same question. Why had the area not been secured?

One journalist, Ruchi Kumar tweeted: “That there was a substantial time gap between the two attacks, despite which the second attack was executed is disturbing. Why wasn’t the site secured soon after?”

At least 21 people were killed in the double-explosion, with another 75 people wounded – some critically.  

Sources state that most of the casualties were as a result of the second explosion.  

The first explosion happened just after 6pm in the Qala-e-Nazer area in Dasht-e-Barchi – inside a wrestling hall. 

On Thursday, abandoned shoes, clothing and bags, broken glass and blood-spattered wrestling mats were testimony to the previous night’s attack. 

“Two explosions happened. I was at home when the first happened. The second was a car bomb which I think was controlled remotely. Many people were martyred inside the gym,” said Mohammad Reza, an eyewitness.

Two TOLOnews journalists were among those killed in the second explosion – they had been reporting on the first blast. 

“There was no one. No security forces, no police chief, no one,” said Ghulam Rasul, an eyewitness.

“Dasht-e-Barchi was once the most secure place in the city but now it has turned into the most insecure place and people are shocked,” said Mohammad Reza Asghar, a resident.

Visiting the scene of the explosions on Thursday Massoud Ansar reported that extensive damage had been caused to buildings, including the wrestling hall, in the area. 
Speaking to residents, all said security was a huge worry for them and that many families were not allowing their relatives to leave their homes. 

“People are 100 percent concerned. They have closed their houses. They are shocked because they worry about another attack,” said Khodadad, a resident of Dasht-e-Barchi. 

Another resident, Sajjad, said the peace and tranquility their neighborhood once enjoyed has disappeared. “It is all about horror now,” said Sajjad.

Analysts have also rung alarm bells and said the security situation is really concerning and that something must be done. 

One military affairs analyst, Sekandar Asghari, said: “Honest (people) and those who want to work to improve security should be appointed as leaders of security agencies.”