LAHORE – The responsibility for the suicide bombing in the outskirts of Lahore that killed nine has been claimed by a banned outfit widely blamed for spree of attacks in past as well.
According to a report by Dawn News, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan has claimed that it was behind the suicide blast which ripped through a police check post located on Raiwind Road leading towards the ground where ijtima (congregation) of Tableeghi Jamaat is held.
At least five police personnel and four citizens were martyred in the attack while over a dozen other were injured in the explosion on Wednesday evening, confirmed DIG Operation Dr. Haider Ashraf.
The senior police official also said that police personnel appeared to be the target of the attack as the explosion took place close to a police checkpoint, near the vehicle of a deputy superintendent of police.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/headline/at-least-seven-policemen-injured-in-raiwind-blast/
This is the first explosion targeting the provincial capital in 2018. Lahore experienced multiple terror attacks in 2017 that killed more than 60 people.
The notorious TTP has claimed responsibility for multiple attacks in the provincial capital including the 2015 Police Lines attack in Qila Gujar, Ferozpur road blast and a suicide attack on army personnel in 2017.
Talking to newsmen, a day after the attack, the Inspector general Police Punjab Captain (r) Arif Nawaz expressed that it was premature to blame foreign agencies for the attack.
To a question regarding the semi-finals of ongoing Pakistan Super League, expected to be played in Lahore, he highlighted that a final decision would be made in a day confirming that till now, the venue for the two matches was Qadafi stadium.
