A Taliban splinter group says it carried out a suicide attack on a park in Lahore, Pakistan, which killed more than 70 people, including children. At least 300 people were injured with officials saying they expected the death toll to rise.
Jamaat-ul-Ahrar said it had targeted Christians celebrating Easter, though police have said they are still investigating the claim. A spokesman for Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, Ehsanullah Ehsan, said the group wanted to send a message to Mr Sharif that they have entered Lahor and threatened further attacks.
Pakistan’s president condemned the attack, and the regional government has announced three days of mourning. The explosion, believed to have been carried out by one suicide bomber, hit the main gate to the Gulshan-e-Iqbal park in the early evening, a short distance from the children’s playground. Officials said the device had been packed with ball bearings.