Yesterday was Easter Sunday. Families around the world sat together and celebrated.
However Easter Sunday became a day of massacre in Lahore, Pakistan
- More than 70 dead, including 29 children, 300 injured.
- The victims were Christians celebrating Easter in the park.
- A suicide bomb exploded in the park, targeting Christians, but mostly Muslims were among the victims.
- A faction of the Taliban calling themselves Jamaat-ul-Ahrar has claimed responsibility for the attack.
- This arm of the Pakistani Taliban have been behind numerous attacks recently, including a similar attack on two churches in Lahore last year.
- This is the deadliest attack against Christians in Pakistan since the 2013 bombing of a church in Peshawar.
- There may be more at play: this date was also the deadline set by religious groups for the government to withdraw a women’s rights law, and it falls near another event: protests in support of an executed policeman Mumtaz Qadri, and a desire to implement Sharia Law in the region.
The park was located in the center of the city
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At least 50 suspects have been arrested in connection to the attacks.
Lahore: Police search operation in Iqbal Town, 50 suspects have been taken into custody. #LahoreBlast
— Govt Of The Punjab (@GovtOfPunjab) March 28, 2016
Number of suspect terrorists and facilitators arrested and huge cache of arms and ammunition recovered-3
— Gen Asim Bajwa (@AsimBajwaISPR) March 28, 2016
The government of Punjab has declared a state of emergency, and three days of mourning.
The Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, stated “Our resolve as a nation and as a government is getting stronger and the cowardly enemy is trying for soft targets.”
Pakistan Army General Asim Bajwa showed steadfast resolve, saying “We must bring the killers of our innocent brothers, sisters and children to justice &will never allow these savage inhumans to over run our life and liberty.”
Chief Minister Shehbaz visits the hopsital
. @CMShehbaz spoke to all the injured persons. pic.twitter.com/YggSiumQ8L
— Govt Of The Punjab (@GovtOfPunjab) March 28, 2016
Visited Jinnah hospital, inquire about the health of wounded and pray for speedy recovery#LahoreBlast pic.twitter.com/TrYfgcYS3V
— Siraj ul Haq (@SirajOfficial) March 27, 2016
Below are some photos from the blast site of this horrific attack
#LahoreBlast spot pic.twitter.com/jxSQonHm7D
— Arif Mehmood (@arifreporter) March 27, 2016
The attacker detonated his suicide vest near a carousel and a dodging car area for kids. #Lahore pic.twitter.com/EA92gipgJ4
— Benazir Shah (@Benazir_Shah) March 28, 2016
Those who targeted innocent citizens do not deserve to be called humans. They are beast… We will come after you.. We will hunt you down..
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) March 27, 2016
Photo credit: मेहरान MUFC (@mehranzaidi) March 27, 2016