Multan City Police Officer (CPO) Sadiq Ali stated that gas was leaking from one of the valves before the tanker exploded. Many residents had already evacuated after noticing the gas odour.
The ground is a replacement to the old Qasim Bagh Stadium located in the heart of Multan city. It hosted its first Test match in 2001. The Test saw Pakistan beat Bangladesh by an innings and 264 runs.