Four Pakistan Army soldiers and two civilians have lost their lives in a suicide blast that took place on Wednesday in Lahore’s Bedian Road area. 18 others have been wounded in the suicide blast that was aimed at a census team.
The Pakistan’s Bureau of Statistics launched Pakistan’s first door-to-door population census was started last month. Over 200,000 military troops have been deployed to provide security for the exercise. At least 119,000 government employees are taking part in the exercise as enumerators. There has been by a political debate over the census on how the results may show changing demographics across the country.
Here is all you need to know about the blast so far:
– It was a suicide blast and it can be assumed that the census team and the security personnel were the target of the suicide bomber.
– Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has expressed his condolences on the loss of lives in the blast. He has directed the concerned authorities to extend all requisite assistance to the provincial government.
– As per senior provincial minister Rana Sanaullah, the attack “appeared to be an act of terrorism”.
– Television footage from the scene showed a destroyed vehicle and debris scattered on the road, as police formed a security cordon around the site’s perimeter.
– Spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban Mohammad Khurasani, the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, claimed responsibility for the attack
– The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan said that the group had sought to target Pakistan’s ‘impure army’ which he called a “slave of America.”
– The militant group’s chief, Mullah Fazlullah, who is believed to be hiding in Afghanistan, ordered the attack, the spokesman said.
