Daily Times

LAHORE: At least seven people, including four officials of the Pakistan Army and an on-leave officer of the Pakistan Air Force, were martyred and 22 others injured in a suicide blast that targeted a census team on Bedian Road in the Defence B police limits on Wednesday.

Hospital sources said that the death toll could rise because at least three of the injured were in a life threatening situation.

According to details, the incident took place near Manawala Chowk, Bedian Road, where an explosion was reported at around 7:45am. The blast led to a fire that engulfed cars in the immediate vicinity.

Earlier, it was being reported as a CNG cylinder blast inside a vehicle, but after investigation the law enforcers announced that it was a suicide attack. The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) said in a statement it had carried out the attack in revenge on security forces.

The deceased army officials have been identified as Arshad, Abduallah, Wajid and Riaz, while the PAF official was identified as Awais Zafar who was on leave. Awais was on his way to see a doctor along with his wife Tehmina and six-month-old son Ahsan. The two civilian victims were identified as Muhammad Bota, 77, and Saif, 34, of Burki area.

Officials of the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS), rescue services, police, Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and other law enforcement agencies reached the scene soon after the attack. Contingents of the Pakistan Army and Rangers also reached the crime scene, while an emergency was declared at hospitals across the city. Security forces cordoned off the area with tents, while the army put in place an inner cordon around the destroyed vehicle.

Forensic teams were seen collecting evidence. According to reports, the law enforcers found the head of the suicide bomber on the rooftop of a nearby shop. Army officials also started a search operation after getting the entire area evacuated.

A CTD official said that the head and limbs of the attacker had been shifted to the forensic lab, while further action would be taken after receiving the DNA and other reports.

The official said that the suicide bomber could have been a suspect named Irfan, whose picture was released by the police a few days ago. He said some of the witnesses claimed that the suicide bomber had strong resemblance to the man in the picture.

Sources also said that the injured driver of one of the vans nearby – identified as Usman – was later taken into custody from the hospital.

They said that the said driver used a different route and stopped his van near a filling station without any reason. At that time, two suspects riding a bike were also seen moving around the vans, they said.