At least 52 people, including children and security personnel, were killed and about 200 others injured in a powerful suicide blast in Pakistan at Wagah on Sunday, minutes after the popular flag-lowering ceremony at the Indo-Pak border.
Al-Qaeda affiliated militant group Jandullah, which was behind a suicide bombing that killed at least 78 Christians at a church in Peshawar September last year, has claimed responsibility for the attack.
The spokesman of the splinter group of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Ahmed Marwat said the attack was a reaction to military operation Zarb-i-Azb and Waziristan operation.
Earlier reports had said it could be a cylinder blast.
“A large number of people were returning after watching Rangers parade ceremony at Wagah border when a suicide bomber blew himself up near one of the exit gates,” Inspector General Police of Punjab Police Mushtaq Sukhera said. He said three Rangers personnel were also among the dead.
To a question about security arrangements, the IG said, “The Rangers had made stringent security measures but it was difficult to check suicide bomber”.
“We had reports that some banned outfits might target Shias, religious personalities, public processions and important buildings,” IG Sukhera said.
He said, “Our teams have confirmed that it was a suicide blast”. The IG said that the suicide bomber was stopped at the gate of the parade ground at the border and detonated the bomb right when people gathered near the gate.
“Up to five kilogrammes of explosive material was used in the blast. The bomb exploded outside a restaurant near a Pakistani paramilitary soldiers’ checkpoint at Wagah border,” he added.
Imdad Husain, an eyewitness, told reporters that he was returning after watching the parade ceremony when he heard a bang near the Wagah border market.
“I fell unconscious. When I gained consciousness there had been complete darkness. Many injured and I cried for help lying on the road. After 15 minutes some rescue men came towards me and shifted me to the Ghurki Hospital, a border area health facility,” he said.
