Monday, March 28, 2016
A suicide bombing killed more than 65 people, by varying reports, in Lahore, Pakistan, yesterday evening in Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park. More than 280 people were injured. Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a Taliban-offshoot group, claimed the responsibility of the bombing which detonated just a few feet away from the swing-set.
| When the blast occurred, the flames were so high they reached above the trees and I saw bodies flying in the air. | ||
The claimant group said the bombing targeted the Christian minority in the nation. Ehansullah Ehsan told The Express Tribune, a Pakistani newspaper, “We claim responsibility for the attack on Christians as they were celebrating Easter”.
A 30-year-old eye-witness Hasan Imran said, in remarks to Reuters, “When the blast occurred, the flames were so high they reached above the trees and I saw bodies flying in the air.” The country has had continuing problems with the Taliban. In 2014, more than 140 people were killed in a Peshawar school attack.
After the incident, White House National Security Council spokesman Ned Price in a statement said “The United States stands with the people and government of Pakistan at this difficult hour. We will continue to work with our partners in Pakistan and across the region […] to root out the scourge of terrorism”. Indian Prime minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolence to Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif by telephoning him; and said “The coward terrorists attacked children and women […] It’s condemnable to attack innocent children and women. We are with Pakistani nation at [this] time”.
Reuters reported hundreds of citizens donated blood for the needy. Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced three-day mourning.
Facebook added the security check for people to mark themselves safe after the incident.