Deadly explosion in Lahore kills at least 74 people

Asia-Pacific, News March 27, 2016 , by IRIA No Comments

At least 74 people have died and more than 300 wounded in an explosion in the city of Lahore, Pakistan, according to local police.

Punjab government has announced three days of mourning and pledged to ensure that those involved in the attack were brought to trial.

The attack was claimed by the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan splinter group Jamaatul Ahrar.

The blast struck Gulshan-e-Iqbal park on the western side of Lahore. The large public park was crowded with people enjoying a spring evening and Easter holiday weekend.

One eyewitness said there was chaos, with a stampede breaking out and children separated from their parents in the rush to escape.

Dozens of women and children were seen being wheeled into hospitals, covered in blood. Many of the injured were transported to hospitals on taxis and auto-rickshaws due to a shortage of ambulances. Hundreds of citizens arrived outside hospitals to donate blood.

Lahore Superintendent Police Dr Muhammad Iqbal confirmed this was a suicide attack that took place at a children’s park, where a large number of families, especially women and children, were present.

The casualties included many women and children, Reuters reports, citing a superintendent of police for the area.

Eye-witnesses said there were pools of blood and scattered body parts spread across the site of the attack. Another eyewitness said the crowd was “unusually large” because of Easter.