Pakistan PM vows to fight terror after 70 died in Lahore

Published 9:28 am Monday, March 28, 2016

LAHORE, Pakistan — Pakistan’s prime minister on Monday vowed to eliminate perpetrators of terror attacks such as the massive suicide bombing that targeted Christians gathered for Easter the previous day in the eastern city of Lahore, killing 70 people.

The attack underscored both the militants’ ability to stage large-scale attacks despite a months-long government offensive against them and the precarious position of Pakistan’s minority Christians. A breakaway Taliban faction, which publicly supports the Islamic State group, has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Meanwhile, in the capital of Islamabad, extremists protested for a second day outside Parliament and other key buildings in the city center. The demonstrators set cars on fire, demanding that authorities impose Islamic law or Sharia. The army, which was deployed Sunday to contain the rioters, remained out on the streets.

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The military reported raids in eastern Punjab province, where several deadly militant organizations are headquartered, and said dozens were arrested. Also Monday, Pakistan started observing a three-day mourning period declared after the Lahore attack.

The Lahore bombing took place in a park that was crowded with families, with many women and children among the victims. At least 300 people were wounded in the bombing.

Even though a breakaway Taliban group, known as Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, said it specifically targeted Pakistan’s Christian community, most of those killed in Lahore were Muslims, who were also gathered in the park for the Sunday weekend holiday. The park is a popular spot in the heart of Lahore.

Of the dead, 14 have been identified as Christians and 44 as Muslim, according to Lahore Police Superintendent Mohammed Iqbal. Another 12 bodies have not yet been identified, he said.

Ahsanullah Ahsan, a spokesman for the breakaway Taliban faction, told The Associated Press late Sunday that along with striking Christians celebrating Easter, the attack also meant to protest Pakistan’s military operation in the tribal regions. The same militant group also took responsibility for the twin bombings of a Christian Church in Lahore last year.

In recent weeks, Pakistan’s Islamist parties have been threatening widespread demonstration to protest what they say is Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s pro-Western stance. They have also denounced provincial draft legislation in Punjab outlawing violence against women.