At least 27 people, including nine police personnel, were killed and more than 50 injured in a Taliban suicide attack near the office and residence of Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif in Lahore on Monday.
The attack took place about 300m away from the CM’s office-cum-residence. “An anti-encroachment drive was underway at the time of explosion. Several among the dead were policemen as an operation against land encroachers was going on,” Pakistan interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said in Islamabad.
Lahore police chief Capt (R) Amin Wains said, “A suicide bomber on a motorcycle approached the police contingent deployed at the antiencroachment drive outside the Arfa Karim Tower, near the CM’s Model Town residence, and blew himself up,” The Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed the responsibility for the attack. “Fida Hussain Swati — a member of our suicide squad —today attacked the infidels on a motorcycle,” TTP spokesman Muhammad Khurasani said in a statement.
“Our message to the front line allies of infidels not to come in our way as we will impose Allah’s system on this land,” he added. Kashif Aslam, a senior police officer, said the bombing targeted policemen who were providing security for demolition work of an old building by the Lahore Development Authority. “At least 27 people were killed and 57 injured. The dead included nine police officers,” Aslam said. Wains said initial investigation showed that the bomber used some 10-kg explosive in his suicide vest.
Following the attack, an emergency was declared in the city’s hospitals. A heavy contingent of security forces cordoned off the blast area. Television footage showed a car and some motorcycles being destroyed in the blast.
Punjab law minister Rana Sanaullah said the incumbent government has overcome the menace of terrorism ‘by 70 to 80 per cent’. “We have started the operation against terrorist organisations and the situation is much better as compared to what it was in 2011-12,” Sanaullah said.
PM Nawaz Sharif expressed grief over the loss of lives and directed authorities to provide all possible medical assistance to the injured.
No words can express the grief which grips my heart now. Blast destroyed many families but terrorists can never destroy our resolve,” CM Shahbaz Sharif said. “Our blood was spilt on the street but I swear to my Allah that the blood of our innocent martyrs will write end of these cowardly assassins!” he tweeted.
Lahore has been the target of terrorist attacks in recent months. In April, at least six people were killed when a vehicle carrying government census workers was targeted by a suicide attack. Another suicide blast on February 13 ripped through the camp of protesting chemists in front of the Punjab assembly building on Mall Road, leaving 14 people dead.
Last year, Lahore suffered one of Pakistan’s deadliest assaults when a suicide attack on Christians celebrating Easter in Iqbal Park left 72 people dead, many of them children. At least 300 were wounded in that attack.
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