Security agencies conduct raids, arrest Lahore attack suspects: ISPR

Intelligence agencies along with Army and Rangers personnel carried out a series of operations to nab suspected terrorists in the aftermath of yesterday’s deadly explosion at a park here, the military’s media wing said on Monday.

A number of “suspected terrorists and facilitators” were arrested during the five raids which were conducted in Lahore, Faisalabad and Multan after the Lahore suicide explosion, said DG Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Asim Bajwa.

He added that a “huge cache of arms and ammunition” were also recovered by security officials.

Chief of Army Staff Gen Raheel Sharif chaired a high-level security meeting at the General Headquarters (GHQ) to review progress of the operation in Punjab to apprehend terrorists in wake of the explosion.

Police was also able to identify the suicide as Yousuf, son of Ghulam Farid, a resident of Muzzafargarh.

Security personnel have been stationed outside the alleged bomber’s house in Muzaffargarh, and claim to have arrested three members of his family for interrogation, DawnNews reported.

At least 72 people were killed in a suicide blast that took place in Lahore’s crowded Gulshan-i-Iqbal park on Sunday evening, police confirmed on Monday. At least 300 others were injured.
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Operations Dr Haider Ashraf said the death toll had risen to 72 overnight.

In the wake of the attack, the Punjab government declared an emergency in Lahore and announced three days of mourning. Schools and markets were closed in the provincial capital on Monday.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar on Monday paid a visit to the injured admitted to Jinnah Hospital for treatment.

PM Nawaz also chaired a meeting at Prime Minister House to review the security situation in Lahore. The prime minister was briefed on the attack by his security advisers, a PM Office statement said, adding: “Key decisions to respond to the situation were taken and directions were issued.”

A First-Information Report was lodged by the Counter-Terrorism Department Lahore against four suspects under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act and various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code.

The FIR claims four suspicious individuals were stopped at the gate of the park, one of whom got into the park and blew himself up. The other three, taking advantage of the rush at the scene, were able to slip away, it says.

‘Questionable security’

The powerful blast ripped through a massively crowded area of the park adjacent to Gate 1 which houses swings, train and some other attractions for children.

Witnesses said the crowd included a large number of Christian families celebrating Easter, Dawn Newspaper reported.

Witnesses said the blast was so massive and fatal that there were pools of blood and scattered body parts in the park. The injured were seen crying for help and women running to find their children.

The incident raised a big question mark over the ‘security measures’ especially in the wake of terror threats.

Lahore CCPO retired Capt Amin Wains, quoting initial police inquiries, said the park was pathetically managed by the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) and its boundary walls – only four to five feet in height – were easily scalable.

He said the PHA management was responsible for frisking the visitors and 40 private guards were manning the recreational facility spanning over 2.5 km area for security.

He ruled out a security lapse on the part of police and said two mobile squads had been stationed at the main gate of the park.