Bomb blasts rock Lahore

[EnterTheVoid]

Third one just went off. 50 dead, 100 injured and counting

[Sachinism]

Damn I saw the news report in the morning and it was 14-15 dead and I was like 'oh another one'

[EnterTheVoid]

PJ, what is it, the fifth blast in Lahore this week, twin blast earlier in the week in Model town and now this In the meantime, Chidambharam calls Pakistan a "difficult neighbour". No shyt, talk about repeating the obvious.

[Lurker]

Hate to say this but wasnt there a gentleman suggesting how it has been months since a blast and Indians would be unhappy with the same?

[EnterTheVoid]

Months since a blast ? A bomb blast seems to go off every freaking day, only differing in the severity Lurker, I don't know who is responsible but we all know India will get blamed regardless, before the dust even settles

[EnterTheVoid]

Unconfirmed report of a fourth blast.

[Aaku]

Some Paki just told me that the 5th blast just took place :S WTF ?

[Karan114]

Seventh blast being mentioned on Twitter

[Aaku]

^ Yes! Seven now.. Oh GOD !

[EnterTheVoid]

Seven in all, two earlier and five back to back in a 45 minute period

[rahulrulezz]

its time Pakistan take strict and very agressive actions against these Talibanis... Feel bad for the normal innocent people... RIP

[yoda]

crazy country. their support for the taliban and extremism in Kashmir is coming back to bite their own ass now.

[The Outsider]

crazy country. their support for the taliban and extremism in Kashmir is coming back to bite their own ass now.

The amazing thing is they haven't learned yet. You watch the latest Zahid Hamid's clips - he is lecturing in universities in Lahore and Islamabad and getting a resounding response! Last month on Kashmir day, the separatists openly declared a renewed Jihad to be met with support from the general public and a blind eye from the government.

[Serani]

Pakistan is a lost cause. religious fanatics on the loose bombing anything they can find.

[yoda]

The amazing thing is they haven't learned yet. You watch the latest Zahid Hamid's clips - he is lecturing in universities in Lahore and Islamabad and getting a resounding response! Last month on Kashmir day, the separatists openly declared a renewed Jihad to be met with support from the general public and a blind eye from the government.

That is because they don't take blame or responsibility for their own actions. They will blame the US, Taliban, RAW, "Zionists" and anyone but themselves.

[rahulrulezz]

Not much different happens in India when our own resident idiot Janab Zakir Naik does his tours giving speeches ... :giggle:

He is more of a religious man....Never said anything political or anything wrong about India..

[Shehezaada]

RIP

[EnterTheVoid]

The amazing thing is they haven't learned yet. You watch the latest Zahid Hamid's clips - he is lecturing in universities in Lahore and Islamabad and getting a resounding response!

Defense analysts like Zaid Hamid, madrassa' preaching extremism everywhere, going by that, all the chaos a step in the right direction really. Maybe it was Heera Lal and Amar Singh

[EnterTheVoid]

So much for the army offensive against weakening the Taliban, the army is getting a real hiding; -----

After a lull in the violence, extremists in Pakistan struck back this week with five attacks, culminating in a bombing in a market in the eastern city of Lahore yesterday that killed at least 45 people. The bloodiest terrorist strike in Pakistan this year saw two attackers, on foot and wearing suicide jackets, detonate themselves in a busy market inside a high-security military district in Lahore. The target appeared to be a convoy of military vehicles but most of the victims were civilians. More than 100 people were wounded. After darkness fell, a series of six back-to-back smaller blasts, possibly caused by grenades, spread panic in a residential neighbourhood in another part of the city. The aim appeared to be to cause alarm rather than destruction. After provoking a fierce reaction initially, Pakistan’s military offensives against the Taliban last year ultimately appeared to substantially diminish the ability of the extremists to carry out terrorist attacks. With yesterday’s incident in Lahore that achievement has been called into question, though the operation was a relatively unsophisticated bombing compared to the commando-style assaults against fortified targets seen last year. “What is clear, even now, is that the Pakistani Taliban will continue to carry out attacks until Pakistani security forces – which have demonstrated considerable progress in the last 10 months – are able to inflict debilitating damage on the jihadist rebel network in the country,” said Stratfor, a private U.S.-based intelligence firm, in a report. Lahore is the bustling cultural hub of Pakistan and the capital of Punjab province, Pakistan's most densely populated area and its political heartland. It was the second bombing this week in the city, following the car bombing on Monday of a police interrogation centre that killed 14 people. Other attacks this week included a gun and grenade assault on a U.S. Christian aid agency's office in the North-West Frontier Province that killed six of its staff, all Pakistani nationals. “They [the extremists] are trying to project their power, telling the government that they are still alive,” said analyst Imtiaz Gul. “They are still far from broken. It’s going to be a long haul.” It was in 2009 that Lahore was fully dragged into the bloody insurgency in Pakistan with a series of spectacular attacks, including a gun assault on the visiting Sri Lankan cricket team. The last major attack in Lahore was in December, when a market was bombed, killing at least 49 people. The authorities regularly assert that the Taliban and other extremist groups have been smashed as a result of recent military operations, a claim repeated yesterday. “We broke their networks,” said Rana Sanaullah, Pakistan’s Provincial Law Minister. “That's why they have not been able to strike for a considerable time.” Even as Pakistan’s military has moved against them, however, Pakistani Taliban from the North-West Frontier Province have joined forces with militant groups from the Punjab, all closely allied to al-Qaeda, to form a nexus that can strike anywhere. Many of the attacks claimed by the Taliban are thought to have been carried out by these other groups, such as Lashkar-e-Jhangvi. And while there has been concerted action against the Taliban, the Punjabi groups have been left relatively untouched, which appears to be the big flaw in Pakistan’s counter-terror strategy. The big jihadist groups operating in mainstream Pakistan, including Sipah-e-Sahaba, an arm of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi; Jaish-e-Mohammad, based in the southern Punjabi city of Bahawalpur; and Lashkar-e-Taiba, the group blamed for the 2008 Mumbai attacks, continue to operate largely unimpeded. The police and military have instead concentrated on more radical splinter groups from the big extremist groups, without going after the parent organizations.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/lahore-attack-shows-pakistans-taliban-are-far-from-defeated/article1499453/ ------- Here when the Taliban claim responsibility for the blasts

LAHORE: Panic and fear gripped Lahore on Friday after it was rocked by a twin-suicide attack that killed at least 50 people, followed by a series of low-intensity explosions that made a mockery of the security apparatus. Two suicide bombers struck in R.A. Bazaar area of the cantonment in the afternoon, killing 50 people, including eight soldiers, and injuring around 120 others. Then in the evening, six blasts shook Allama Iqbal Town and Samanabad. According to police, the explosions were intended to terrorise an already rattled populace. A seventh blast reported from the same area was caused, according to police, by an electricity transformer which blew up because of some technical fault. The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility for the suicide attacks. An FIR of the R.A. bazaar blasts registered by the cantonment police at night put the number of dead between 50 and 60 and the injured at 120. Cantonment SP Jawad Qamar said that scattered limbs had made it difficult to give an exact toll and to identity the dead. The R.A. Bazaar attacks were almost simultaneous and took place close to a busy market minutes before Friday prayers. According to officials of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), personnel of the Army’s Garrison Security Force (GSF) were hit when they were on their way to a mosque for carrying out security duties during Friday congregations. As the site of the attack was close to a bus terminal and a busy market, many shoppers and passers-by were caught by the impact of the attacks. More than 35 civilians were killed, among them women and children. Eight soldiers lost their lives and 12 others suffered injuries. Two vehicles of the GSF and several cars and motorcycles were destroyed. Windowpanes and doors in the surrounding areas came apart. The bombers, who were said to be on foot, managed to reach the R.A. Bazaar in spite of a thick blanket of security, including some military pickets. Since it is a cantonment area, the bazaar is near sensitive military offices and installations. The two attacks occurred within three minutes of each other. The military personnel and police cordoned off the place and did not give media and citizens access to the scene. After the explosions, an army helicopter hovered over the area for some time. Senior Superintendent of Police (operations) Chaudhry Shafiq Ahmad told Dawn that police had found heads of both the suicide bombers, who appeared to be teenagers, at some distance from the spot and sent them to the forensic laboratory. He said the bombers wore suicide jackets which carried 10 kilograms of explosives. The SSP said one of the bombers blew himself up near a GSF pick-up parked near the mosque while the other detonated himself at a little distance away just as two more army vehicles arrived there. Syed Sajid Ali, who runs a medical store nearby, told Dawn he had come to the mosque in the bazaar for Friday prayers five minutes before the first blast took place on Khuda Baksh Road. He said as he and others, present in the mosque, came out the second powerful blast occurred at R.A. Bazaar Chowk, a few yards away from the site of the first blast. “Black smoke engulfed the bazaar and there were bodies and human body parts scattered on the road,” Sajid Ali said, adding that he picked several dead and injured to put them in police vans, rickshaws and ambulances. He said the second blast caused more damage than the first one. The official response varied from one Punjab government functionary to another. Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said the blast was unfortunate given the security in place. The Punjab law minister disagreed with the assertion that it was a security lapse and did not rule out the involvement of foreign hand. But Lahore Commissioner Khusro Pervaiz was categorical in saying that India was behind the terror. The suicide attacks came only four days after a strike in Lahore’s Model Town left 14 people dead. The horror was compounded after a series of blasts shook Allama Iqbal Town and Samanabad. The low-intensity, but scary series of explosions all the same, targeted one residential block after another in the 1600-acre Allama Iqbal Town. These were reminiscent of the flurry of low-intensity blasts in Karachi last year and the ones that occurred in Lahore’s Garhi Shahu area, also last year. Iqbal town blasts Five explosions in residential localities of Iqbal Town, near Moon Market, triggered panic among residents and traders. SSP Shafiq said that low-intensity cracker bombs had been used by miscreants apparently to harass and create unrest among the citizens. He said explosives had either been planted or concealed in the ground in majority of strikes. He said the first explosion occurred along the wall of 163-Kashmir Block at about 8:45pm, followed by another beneath a car parked outside 737-Kashmir Block, owned by Group Captain Inamul Haq. The third explosion also took place in the same block within a few minutes and the fourth one in Huma Block. The SSP said that only a car was damaged in the second explosion. There was no loss of life or injury. The fifth explosion occurred near Moon Market at about 11:25pm. The Samanabad blast took place outside the house of a government official.

http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/front-page/eight-soldiers-among-50-killed-taliban-claim-responsibility-for-attacks-terror-blasts-shake-lahore-330 ------- but, true to form, they blame India, barking about Kashmir / Gujarat / Babri etc.

On March 13, 2010, two suicidal bombers walked up to Pakistan military vehicles and exploded themselves in densely populated area RA Bazar of Lahore cantt. In these attacks 45 persons included five soldiers killed and more than 120 individuals sustained injures. This is the second attack of on going week. Earlier on March 8, 2010 Pakistani Intelligence Agency’s “sub-office” in Model Town Lahore was rocked at the time of a suicide attack and killing 15 people and many injured. It is also added here that since January 2010 twenty suicidal attacks have been launched against soldiers and citizens. In the night at from 0830 – 0930 PM again three bombs exploded near Moon Market, in which many individuals got injured. Out of revealed suicidal attacks, 12 have been carried out against the security forces. President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani and Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kiyani condemned the Lahore blasts of March 12. They expressed condolences with the families of those who lost their lives in the dastardly terrorist act. The President said the government and people are determined to defeat terrorism and such gruesome acts cannot deter the national spirit is ready to defeat terrorists. It is also mentionable here that last year five attacks were launched in Lahore: 15 October 2009: Terrorists attacked Federal investigation Agency 12 June: a prominent anti-Taliban cleric killed by a suicide bomber at his religious school. 27 May: a car bomb attack on police buildings killed 23 persons. 30 March: Gunmen attacked a police academy, killing eight people 3 March 2009: Gunmen killed six police guards in an ambush of the Sri Lankan cricket team. The conspicuous increase in volatility has been noticed since after ‘Mumbai attack”. India has started all out proxy war against Pakistan. Her Intelligence agency is using criminal elements of FATA and remote areas of Paksitan for fomenting terrorism. Indian Interior minister P Chidambaram and chief of Army Staff repeatedly threaten Pakistan. In a ceremony held on March 12, 2010 Inidan home minister once again alleged Pakistan for their domestic ongoing violence and militancy. He said that any act of terrorism from Pakistani territory against India will be taken as not be tolerant in future. In fact the purpose of such types of statements political and military leadership is to justify Indian covert and open sabotage activities against Pakistan. The statements have to be analyzed keeping in view of the on going war on terror. New Delhi is using criminal and militants to terrorize the determined Pakistani Security Forces and general masses. Pakistan Ambassador at New Delhi Shahid Malik while answering to journalists rejected Chidambaram stance and said that India is involved in spreading terrorism in Balochistan instead of resolving burning issue of Kashmir and water. Indian Chief OF Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor has also clearly shown her desire of striking Pakistan on November 22, 2009 when he warned that a limited war under a nuclear overhang is still very much a reality at least in the Indian sub-continent. On November 23, 2009 Pakistan Foreign Office Spokes man Abdul Basit asked the world community to take notice of remarks passed by the Indian Army Chief. He also said that India has set the stage and trying to impose a limited war on Pakistan. In this context, earlier Pakistan Army Chief of Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani has categorically expressed at number of occasions that Indian attack would be responded in full strength while using all types of resources. Pak investigation agencies have collected the solid proves in the shape of fake Pakistani and American currencies, Indian made armaments, medical equipments and passports. The dossiers composed of evidences regarding Indian involvement in fomenting militancy in Pakistan has been provided to Indian authorities in recently held sectary level negotiations at New Delhi. It is also notable here that the terrorist are also being imparted training in Afghanistan and India for launching and targeting security agencies and important installations. A wave of suicide and bomb attacks across Pakistan has killed more than 3,000 people since 2007. Hindus extremists are creating problems in Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. India is giving the money and weapons to the terrorists in these countries. India wants to destabilize his neighbours. But she should  not forget the result of the Russia / Soviet Union. If India did not changed its behavior then soon would be disintegrated into in 27 parts. Though secular India claimed that she is the most religious in tolerance but on ground facts are quite difficult. Muslims, Christens and Sikhs even cannot shake hand with extremist Hindus. India is the only country in which there are always riots, killing of minorities, raping Tamils, Maoists and Kashmiries innocent women. Yearly more than 3000 individuals of minorities are being killed by Hindus extremists. Sikh still crying for justice and cannot forget the incident of Golden Temple in 1984. The killings of Muslims after Babri Masjid Shahdat went to its extreme where more than 3000 Muslims killed in Gujrat in 2002. Indian extremists Hindus even don’t spare their own Sikh Prime Minister and use obnoxious language while criticizing him. In one of the comments posted in Indian Express called his Prime minister as “Manhoos Singh Govt’. The commentator also said that Indian government is appeasing all anti national elements. Talks with Pakistan, free entry to kashmiri militants, punishment to Tytler and Sajjan Kumar, everywhere this man (Manmohan Singh) is hurting India. He further stated that Kashmiri Muslims are our enemies. They will never be loyal to India. Crush them with an iron hand. The commentator has written these comments in response to news of killing a sixteen year old Zahid Farooq by a soldier of 68th BSF Battalion in the Kashmir Valley. Research Analysis Wing (RAW) is known as brain of Indian Hindu Extremists. The radical Hindus are working in the nucleus of RAW. They are famous in elimination of their government and civilian personalities for the completion of their entrusted tasks. It is worth mentioning here that wife of Late Anti - Terrorism Squad Chief Hemant Karkare in an inquiry also alleged Col Prohit for murdering of her husband during Mumbai Drama. Col Prohit was also involved in killing of minorities and blasting of Samjota Express. Islamabad has at number of occasions demanded handing over of the Col to Pakistan for detailed investigations but New Delhi neither took any action against him and nor ready to hand him over to Pakistan. Reportedly, former Indian Intelligence officer Lt Col Prohit would soon be released. Anyhow, coming back to the topic, I would say that India has chosen a calculated time frame for fomenting militancy in Pakistan i.e. (One) Pakistan Security Forces have met remarkable victory against foreign sponsored militancy; (two) American and NATO forces are no more interested to stay in Afghan region,(three) Indian stay in Afghanistan would be difficult after depart of US led ISAAF forces,(four) President Karzai has carried out successful visit of Islamabad , Pakistan Army Chief has offered the training of Afghan forces and police , (five) Pakistan recently stepped up its drive against the Taliban leadership (six) arresting Taliban second most senior commander, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, (seven) news about arresting many top figure heads of Al-Qaida, (eight) national unity against militancy, (nine) rising political and economical stability of Pakistan, (ten) to change world attention from Indian domestic violence, (eleven) American are stressing to resolve Kashmir and water Issues with Islamabad. Thus the success of Pakistan, its security forces and intelligence agencies are not being digested by India and she has started a planned fresh wave of targeting heart of Pakistan (Lahore). New Delhi might be trying to force Pakistan to invest more forces on domestic fronts which would be helpful in case of already planned aggression against Pakistan. If it is true then World community should forces India to stop proxy war against Pakistan otherwise it would be proved another disaster for the global peace. USA and Russia should stop providing arms and transferring of nuclear technology to irresponsible country which is busy in spreading terrorism in the neighbouring countries.

http://www.paktribune.com/news/index.shtml?225488

[DomainK]

It's unfortunate that some innocent people are being killed. It's worse that their deaths are being used to spread more hatred towards India. The media, the government and the Taliban are almost working as a unit,