The death toll in a twin suicide bombing at a crowded commercial hub here rose to 49 on Tuesday, with several people succumbing to their injuries and more bodies being dug out of the rubble.
The death toll in a twin suicide bombing at a crowded commercial hub here rose to 49 on Tuesday, with several people succumbing to their injuries and more bodies being dug out of the rubble.
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Among those who died in last night's attack on Moon Market in Allama Iqbal Town area were 29 men, 13 women and seven children, said district administration chief Sajjad Bhutta. Another 180 people were injured and 62 of them are still being treated in hospitals, he said.
The heads of the two suicide bombers were found at the site, Special Superintendent of Police Shafiq Ahmad Gujjar said.
The powerful blasts went off within a minute of each other near a bank and a police station, sparking a massive fire that gutted dozens of shops. Hundreds of people, including women and children, were present in the market at the time of the blasts. Most of the deaths were due to the blaze, officials said.
People continued to sit through the rubble of shops and residential apartments at Moon Market this morning. Shoes and pieces of clothing lay strewn across the market, which was popular for its numerous eateries. The facade of buildings was blackened by smoke. Scores of people visited the site of the attack to get a glimpse of the devastation caused by the suicide attackers.
Several women wept as they walked past the charred remains of shops and motorcycles. No group claimed responsibility for the attack. Police have registered a case against unidentified terrorists. The Lahore Bar Association asked lawyers not to attend courts today as a mark of protest against the attack. The association also asked lawyers to stand united against terrorists.
Rana Sanaullah, the Law Minister of Punjab province, said India was allegedly involved in the attack on Moon Market but his claim was not endorsed by Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.
Talking to reporters after visiting some of the injured at Jinnah Hospital this morning, Sharif said, "He (Sanaullah) cannot make allegations on suppositions. However, India's involvement in (fomenting unrest) in South Waziristan and Balochistan cannot be ruled out".
India has denied Pakistan's allegations that it is behind the unrest in Balochistan province and the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan.
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