ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's cultural capital Lahore convulsed with a second — and deadlier — serial terror attack within a week, with seven blasts ripping through two markets, including RA Bazar in the heart of the city. The terror attacks in RA Bazar killed 45 people and wounded over 100 on Friday, which, being a holiday, sees heavy shopping crowds.
Pakistan Taliban, that had perpetrated Monday's blast that gutted the Federal Investigating Agency building and killed 13 people, claimed responsibility, indicating the Islamist terrorists are brazenly stepping up violence after a period of relative calm. Later on Friday night, two more blasts rocked the Moon Market and details of casualties weren't immediately available.
Pakistani officials said the attack could have been engineered by Punjabi Taliban taking "revenge" for the killing of Qari Zafar, one of their top leaders, in a US drone strike recently. This was the fourth overall attack in Pakistan in the last week.
Officials say the Punjabi Taliban have spread across all major cities of the Punjab province. Five among the dead were army personnel.
The first explosion took place near a crowded bus stop in the periphery of RA Bazar. The second attack took place within 15 seconds near the Sadar area, walking distance from RA Bazar. Gunshots were heard just after the blasts.
The terrorists struck despite tight security in the army-controlled cantonment area of Lahore, an act that appeared a grim execution of their threat to unleash up to 3,000 suicide bombers across Pakistan unless the army and US drones stopped their offensive. Pakistan has been fighting the Taliban insurgents in the volatile tribal areas bordering Afghanistan for the last several months.
While independent news agencies put the toll at 45, Punjab's law minister Rana Sanaullah said: "Thirty-nine people were killed and 95 wounded in the attacks. We have collected concrete evidence, which will help identify the attackers. Both the attackers were on foot".
Punjab's top police official Tariq Saleem Dogar said, "The two suicide blasts were targetted at Garrison Security Force mobile vehicles which were patrolling the RA bazaar area. Heads of the suicide bombers had been recovered and investigations into the incidents are on", he said.
An eyewitness, Yahya Bhutta, who was inside a nearby mosque, said he was attending Friday prayers when the first bomb went off. "As I rushed out, another blast took place just 20 feet away from me. I saw military personnel lying dead and injured", a blood-stained Bhutta said.
The army cordoned off the area after the explosions and barred reporters from visiting the blast sites. Military helicopters were pressed to service and the injured were shifted to the army hospital.
Despite frequent militant attacks since March 2008, Lahore is still considered relatively safe.
7 blasts hit Lahore; 45 killed, Pak Taliban claim responsibility - Pakistan - World - The Times of India
Confirmed It is again Taliban