Two suicide bombers tore into the heart of Lahore, bombing a famous Islamic Sufi shrine packed with thousands of worshippers, killing at least 45 people, including women and children, and injuring 180 others in the latest slew of attacks across the terror-stricken nation.
The blasts occurred late last night in quick succession at the Data Darbar shrine of Sufi saint Syed Abul Hassan bin Usman bin Ali al-Hajweri revered by millions of people. Several of the injured succumbed to their injuries in hospital on Friday .
Zahid Pervez, the medical superintendent of Mayo Hospital, said 45 bodies had been brought to the only morgue in Punjab's provincial capital. Nearly 180 people were injured in one of the most devastating attacks witnessed in Lahore, which has been increasingly targeted by pro-Taliban militants in recent months.
Pervez described the condition of 15 of the injured as critical. Though initial reports had said the shrine was targeted by three suicide attackers, SSP Chaudhry Shafiq Ahmed today confirmed that two bombers were involved in the assault. One blew himself up in the shrine's courtyard while another detonated his explosive vest in the basement in an area where people perform ablutions.
There was no claim of responsibility for the attack but the Taliban and other militant groups consider Sufism and the visiting of shrines as heretical. The Taliban have also targeted Sufi shrines in northwest Pakistan in the past.
However, the Pakistani Taliban has denied any involvement in the twin suicide attack. "We are not responsible for these attacks, this is a conspiracy by foreign secret agencies, you know we do not attack public places," Azam Tariq, a spokesman for Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan was quoted as saying by AFP.Dramatic CCTV footage aired on TV channels showed the suicide bombers rushing into the shrine complex after evading police guards and volunteers deployed at a gate.
One bomber, clad in a white shalwar-kurta and with a green cloth wrapped around his head, was seen running through a crowd of people in the basement moments before an orange flash and clouds of smoke and dust filled the frame at about 10.50 pm.
The second bomber exploded himself five minutes later in the courtyard upstairs, where thousands of worshippers were present. People ran in all directions and some were injured in the stampede. Once the panic subsided, people wept and beat their heads and chests.
Data Darbar was reopened to the public this morning after being closed briefly so that investigators could scour the shrine for evidence and clues. Hundreds of people joined the weekly prayers at the shrine amidst tight security. Witnesses said the floor was still spattered with blood at some places. One of the suicide attackers who blew himself up at the Data Darbar shrine has been identified as a resident of a Pakistani village located on the outskirts of Lahore.
Police said Rafiq alias Usman, aged about 20, was a resident of Hadyara village, which is located on the outskirts of Lahore and close to the border with India. "His family has identified him," a police officer told PTI. The officer said Rafiq's elder brother was serving in the army. "We are collecting other details about Rafiq. He was a student at a seminary and we are investigating whether he had gone to Waziristan for training," the officer said.
Though Lahore is no stranger to horrific attacks 95 people were killed in assaults on two mosques of the minority Ahmedi sect in May residents were shocked by the fact that terrorists had targeted a shrine that is visited by thousands everyday and revered by Muslims and non-Muslims alike. "Terrorists tear into the heart of Lahore," read the headline in the Dawn newspaper, while the headline in The News read: "Terrorists hit Data Darbar."
Data Darbar is the shrine of Syed Abul Hassan bin Usman bin Ali al-Hajweri, considered the patron saint of Lahore. An atmosphere of gloom hung over Lahore and authorities sounded a red alert for the weekly Muslim prayers.
Senior police officer Muhammad Faisal Rana told reporters security was especially tightened around mosques. Large numbers of police and security personnel patrolled sensitive areas in the city.
Lawyers boycotted courts and most markets were closed as a mark of protest. The streets were almost empty and associations representing traders called for two days of mourning. Worshippers were frisked and checked several times by policemen before being allowed inside mosques across Lahore. Clerics condemned the attack on Data Darbar in their 'khutba' or sermons after the Friday prayers. Security was also stepped up in all four provinces and officials said additional police forces had been deployed at all Sufi shrines across Pakistan. PTI
