Two suicide bombers blew themselves in a busy Lahore bazaar on Friday next to a mosque shortly before Jum’a prayers, killing 45 persons and injuring over 100.
Later evening, four people were injured when a third bomb exploded near a police station.
Police officials said that the target of the twin attacks were military personnel who frequent the RA bazaar located within the Cantonment area.
The bombs, estimated to weigh 10 kilograms each, spread a wave of destruction in the bazaar, built in pre-partition days. It is believed that 10 military men were killed.
The bombers had apparently sneaked into the heavily guarded area by using a bus.
“Since all seven points leading into the cantonment are heavily guarded by the army and police personnel, hardly any private vehicle is allowed to enter the area without being thoroughly checked,” a source in the Crime Investigation Department told PTI.
“Security officials usually do not inspect buses plying on routes in this area. There is a great possibility that the two terrorists reached R A Bazar within the cantonment by riding a local bus,” he said.
An unidentified caller claimed responsibility for the attack on behalf of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan while talking to Geo News channel.
{{/usCountry}}An unidentified caller claimed responsibility for the attack on behalf of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan while talking to Geo News channel.
{{/usCountry}}Friday’s attack came four days after the suicide car bombing of a special investigation unit in Lahore that too was carried out by the Taliban.
Lahore Police Chief Tariq Dogar said that the heads of the bombers had been recovered.
Provincial minister Rana Sanaullah said that there was definite proof that the bombers were from the tribal areas. But this claim was contested by others. Former intelligence chief Masood Sharif said that the government should also look at the Southern Punjab areas where many of the terrorists are now being recruited.