LAHORE:
At least 50 people killed mostly women and children and 200 injured in an explosion occurred in Gulshan-i-Iqbal Park of Iqbal Town in Lahore Sunday evening, reports Dawn and other TV news quoting hospital and police sources. Edhi sources said at least 200 are confirmed injured in the attack so far.
In conflicting figures, Iqbal Town Superintendent of Police Dr Muhammad Iqbal said the explosion has resulted in 53 deaths.
The suspected suicide attacker blew himself up in the parking space of the recreational park. A large number of people including women and children were present at the park due to weekly holiday.
Pakistan Army troops have been deployed as the park and surrounding area has been cordoned off by the security forces.
He added that this was a suicide attack and took place at a children’s park, where a large number of families, especially women and children, were present on a Sunday evening.
The area is a renowned residential area of Lahore. The blast was just outside the exit gate and a few feet (metres) away from the children’s swings.
Paper quoting eye witnesses said there were pools of blood and scattered body parts in the park. An eyewitness, said “We took the injured to hospitals on rickshaws and taxis.” He said the crowd was “unusually large” because of Easter.
According to Rescue 1122, the explosion occurred at a parking stand of the Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park. The injured were being shifted to various hospitals, including Jinnah, Sheikh Zaid and General hospital, whereas an emergency has been declared in all hospitals of the provincial capital.