Suicide attack claims nine lives in Lahore

LAHORE  – A suicide attack claimed nine lives whereas 20 individuals were left wounded as the attacker targeted a police checkpost ahead of a religious congregation (Tableeghi Ijtemea) which underway in Raiwind area.

Police confirmed the nature of the blast and declared it a suicide attack asserting that a terrorist approached the check post using a motorcycle. While briefing the media, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Operations Wing, Dr Haider Ashraf said that police were target of the attack and two sub-inspectors and three constables embraced martyrdom among nine persons.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) and Station House Officer (SHO) were among four police who were wounded along with the locals. The injured were shifted to Jinnah Hospital and Tehsil Headquarters Hospital (THQ) in Raiwind.

The attack has come when Lahore is days away from hosting two play-off matches of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2018, cricket-loving nation s indeginous cricket league that is presently underway in Dubai and Sharjah.

On the other hand International cricket players are soon to arrive in Pakistan to participate in the matches.

Last year in February, a suicide attack on Mall Road of Lahore claimed as many as 14 lives including a celebrated police officer, weeks ahead of the final match of PSL that was played in Qaddafi Stadium.

A spokesman for Jamaat-ur-Ahrar, a faction of the Tehrik-i-Taliban had telephoned Reuters and claimed responsibility for the February 14 attack.