Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif strongly condemned the blast incident in Lahore
LAHORE – A deadly explosion occurred in Gulshan-i-Iqbal Park of Iqbal Town on Sunday evening, killing at least 60 people and injuring more than 300.The blast took place near gate no 1 of the park. Five to six kilograms of explosive materials was used to carry out the terrorist attack.
Officials say that at least 65 people have died and a further 300 people are injured- of the injured, at least 50 are children. It is reported that many of the injured have been seriously harmed in the explosion, prompting fears that the death toll could rise considerably higher.
Iqbal Town Superintendent of Police Dr. Muhammad Iqbal said the explosion was a suicide attack and took place in a children’s park, where a large number of families, especially women and children.
Bodies and injured were rushed to Shaikh Zayed Hospital and Jinnah Hospital among others, where an emergency has been imposed. The security forces and rescue teams along with bomb disposal squad were dispatched to the site immediately after the explosion. Many of the wounded persons are being treated on the hospital floors due to shortage of beds in the medical facility.
The Prime minister expressed his grief and sorrow over the loss of innocent lives. He also directed the authorities concerned to ensure special medical care to the injured, said PM Office Media Wing.
Eye witnesses said, ‘There were pools of blood and scattered body parts in the park and dead bodies and injured were on the ground everywhere. We took the injured to hospitals on rickshaws and taxis.’
Another eyewitness said the crowd was “unusually large” because of Easter. The roads were also jammed and queues of vehicles coild be seen till Moon Market.
Many eyewitnesses said there was no security present in and around the park.
Punjab is its biggest and wealthiest province of Pakistan, which is plagued by a Taliban insurgency, criminal gangs and sectarian violence.