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Data Darbar bomber identified, protests around the country
The suicide bomber who blew himself up in the ablution area of Data Darbar has been identified.
The attacker has been identified as Usman, a resident of Barki Hadyara area of Lahore.
The suicide bomber who blew himself up in the ablution area of Data Darbar has been identified.
The attacker has been identified as Usman, a resident of Barki Hadyara area of Lahore.
Usman’s two brothers, Sharif and Latif, helped in the identification and have been taken into custody for further questioning. So far, they have revealed that Usman was affiliated with a religious group and had been missing for the last few months.
In related developments, four suspects have been arrested by police from Mayo Hospital.
Earlier, funeral prayers for two of the martyrs killed in the Data Darbar attacks were offered while the security has been beefed up throughout Lahore following the deadly suicide attacks at Data Darbar.
The funeral prayers of 12-year-old Muhammad Zeshan and 40-year-old Ghafar were offered in the Data Nagar area of Lahore.
The death toll of the blasts has risen to 43, with 175 people injured.
Most of the bodies have been handed over to relatives. Funeral prayers of the rest of the martyrs will be held in different parts of the city after Friday prayer.
Security has been beefed up throughout Lahore. A large number of security personnel have been deployed at all entry and exit points of the city and strict checking is underway.
Police have also been heavily deployed at sensitive locations such as mosques and imambargahs, to ensure security of worshippers during Friday prayers.
Meanwhile, Data Darbar has been reopened to general public under tight security.
Strict security measures have also been taken in and around Bibi Pak Daman shrine in Lahore. Security in other parts of Punjab is also being reviewed.
Protests around the country
Workers of different religious parties protested outside the shrine of Data Ganj Baksh against Thusday’s suicide attacks.
The rally of demonstrators reached the main gate of the shrine, chanting slogans against the government for not providing adequate security. Protestors said citizens are left at the mercy of terrorists, while politicians are safe in their heavily secured circles.
The traders association also announced to close all markets in Lahore to mourn the suicide attacks on Data Ganj Bakhsh Shrine.
A statement issued by All Pakistan Traders Association said that the traders community of Lahore will close all markets. This includes Shah Alam Market, Azam Cloth Market, Sarafa Market, Rang Mehal, Moti Bazar, Circular Road and Anarkali.
Mall Road Traders Association has also announced the closure of shops at Mall Road.
The Sunni Tehrik, during a protest in Karachi, demanded strict action against the actual culprits.
In Hyderabad, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan Markazi Jama-e-Ahl-e-Sunnah, Sunni Tehrik and Anjuman Sarfroshan held protests against the Data Darbar blast holding banners and placards.
Religious parties, locals and traders organizations also held protests and demonstrations in Lahore, Vehari, DG khan , Bahawalpur and Lodhraan and strongly condemned blasts on the shrine and demanded immediate arrests of the culprits.
Britain and EU condemn the attacks
British Foreign Secretary William Hague condemned the suicide attack as a “vicious and inhuman act”, and offered his “resolute support” for Pakistan’s efforts to battle extremism.
“This was a vicious and inhuman act. Britain stands alongside the people and government of Pakistan against those who commit such appalling atrocities,” Hague said in a statement.
“We will be a firm friend to Pakistan as it works towards a safer and more prosperous future for all its citizens, and will continue our resolute support for efforts to prevent such attacks in the future.”
Hague added that he sent his “deepest sympathies” to those affected by the attack.
The European Union also expressed shock over the suicide attack in Lahore, saying it showed “the scale of the terrorist threat” in Pakistan.
“The deadly attack against the Data Darbar Sufi shrine in Lahore is yet another vivid example of the scale of the terrorist threat and extremism in Pakistan,” said the office of EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton.
Ashton was “shocked and saddened at these horrific events and extends her deepest sympathies to the families of the bereaved,” her office said in a statement.
“The European Union strongly supports Pakistan’s efforts to bring the perpetrators of these acts to justice,” the statement said.
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It is indeed very very sad to see the Monster eat up the creator.
There is no sense of satisfaction that this is happening to Pakistan, even though the price that ISI is paying for partnering the devil is apt to many in India.
But the point is how much more is Pakistan going to suffer to keep pricking an elephant.
If the words of Bhutto should ring true then I guess it is going to be a 1000 years.
This is a true eg: of a self consuming hatred.Recommend
you should get those people who are doing all this mess and kill themRecommend
only to say very sad.Recommend
“Workers of different religious parties protested outside the shrine of Data Ganj Baksh against Thusday’s suicide attacks” The one’s who did not protest are probably the criminals the police should be looking for. Simple!Recommend
Mr Reddy
You have your own monsters in Kashmir, Meghalaya, Assam, most recently Chattisgarh and many more.
At this point, any sensitive human being should feel our trauma. But you have quoted Bhutto’s statement of 1000 years. The taunt is most unfair and regretable.
Times have changed. Nuclear Pakistan has drastically shortened that time span!Recommend
The Govt should eliminate the root cause of such type of incidence.Recommend
This is the outcome of the aids we take from brotherly countries, whose focus is to establish a militancy in the name of Islam, and treat it as a private militia. Now this militia has become wild and playing at the hands of powers that are funding them to destroy the region completely. Such stupid are these so called muslims who do not even know that these acts do not justify a pious or fanatic muslim. While we can do long marches on the judiciary issue, why cant Pakistanis collect guts to do so on Fata, so that this militia could succumb to the understanding that what they are doing is wrong, and hence people at large have the guts to take them down in a stampede.Recommend
Now not even the place where a poor finds himself being spiritually heard, where he thinks that his miseries shall be somehow overcome by praying at such a place, is no more safe than what else ………. complete failure of the government and the security ………. what to do with all that Sasti roti and those dastarkhawan when the life of an common man is not safe …………..Recommend
How could a man can do this sort of barbaric attack on this particular place where hundreds of innocent Muslims were reciting Quran praying Namaz a shirine of one of the greatest sufi of the world we strongly condemned this attack,and i know who is behind this curtain surely india,israil and american agencies are involve in all these sort of terrorism including TTP(tehreek e taliban Pakistan).Recommend
Mushtaque Ahmed@what good is a newclear power all it has done is given us trouble,poverty,misery unstability if pakistan,s suffering is due to the nukes then we are better off them.Recommend
Even the terrorists not spared the shrine?Recommend
I agree with Mussarat Ahmedzeb. What good our nukes are for? Better to lose them at first instant and start developing the people. It will make Pakistan more secure. The nukes have turned it into a powder keg with countless fanatics running around with matches in their hands.Recommend
Data Darbar is a place for broken hearts. Those people did not deserve this. Data ki Nagri does not deserve this!Recommend
I am very sad for the families and the tragedy that fell upon them
bc in many cases single bread winners have gone and now no-one will take care of them.
We know the federal govt is total failure and i don’t know why they wanted power when they have no clue except allow a fake degree holder buffoon minister going around the country bribing all the lawyers in the country when many poor have no money and are committing suicide.
I also feel Sharif Brs should go back to Jeddah because I have no hope in them as well. Shabaz has done absolutely nothing and he is not fit to protect the poor of Lahore either and the playboy governor is another idiot. We thought he will be a good admin and make lahore businesses thrive but as usual in Pakistan we are destined to be lead by idiots of the worst kind.
i propose that rangers should be deployed in Lahore because everybody is unsafe from sri Lanka team to every citizen of Lahore.Recommend
Lets decide now! whether to spare this mentality or not. How many of such incidents we need to know our real enemy?
Someone rightly commented here that a brotherly country and its version of Islam is now popping its head before us.
Now, i want to ask those who still support Taliban mentality in Pakistan that what answer they have on this incident?Recommend
Data Darbar attackers can’t be Muslims Sipah-e-Sahaba Lashkar-e-Jhangvi Tehreek-e-Taliban and Al-Qaeda linked organisations want to create instability in the country,terrorist organisations are paid heavy funds to commit such evil activities.Recommend
A brutal and cowardly act. Jihad misplaced. Only and only God can help Pakistan.Recommend
Terrorists are on the run all over the country and are being defeated everywhere. They can’t attack high value targets anymore. Expect more of such attacks on “soft” targets in the coming days.Recommend
@ Mushtaq Ahmed – You are right Sir. It is most regrettable but it is true.
It is not a taunt to say the least.
We feel the pain and that is why I ask – WHY WHY WHY WHY???????????????
Somebody is benefiting from this and it is not you and me.Recommend
I am still waiting for the condemnation from JI/ JUI and the likes…….Recommend
I am sick and tired of people who say that they can’t be muslims. I can’t believe when people are so blind and in a state of denial and the stupidity keeps on creeping in the society. The thing is that we need to understand and think that what ever we consume and give charity to, make sure that those aren’t the organizations who support terrorism and propagate hatred. These are the people who organize these attacks and is killing us all. Its so easy to blame States for all this, so convenient but we need to look at our selves first before pointing fingers to others.Recommend
what comment to pass except “All is sad and tragic”…Recommend
Tribune—Welcome to Lahore. I used to study this Newspaper during my Karachi visits.Recommend
Off course Muslims can do this. More Muslims have been killed by Muslims themselves than any other religion. Just dig into our bloody history. We love to create heroes, but if you look at their character they were all blood thirsty power mongers. As long as false history and religious extremism is taught at our schools and madrassas, this will continue. According to their brand of Islam, we are not true Muslims and are a fair game. We are on a slippery slope with no end in sight.Recommend
My sister is asking me that Data Sahib is a one of the most powerful spiritual personality. So why shouldn’t he show some ‘karamat to save such a number of innocent lives? I don’t have a answer to this. Do you have?Recommend
First terrorists launch attacks to kill Pakistanis and then their Indian masters come to Internet to taunt Pakistanis.Recommend
I regret and condemn this blast at “Date Sahib”. but I, like many others, dis-agreed that police identify one bomber. Is it possible to do this from our police, terrible. This police, which can not catch a ” daku” walking in front of them and let him go by getting some money, how can do this. This is totally fraud some poor and innocent will be hanged. The police arrest all the family of “so called bomber” who told the police that he is our brother. on one hand they are helped the police on the other hand police arrest all of them. is this justice. In CCTV cameras it is very clearly showing that police guards are sitting on chairs and did not care who is passing even when the security alarm of “walk through gate” they still sitting and then ran away. This is the way of this corrupt police.Recommend
this means us drones next target will be punjab as they are shifting war from tribal areas to punjab.That is why the fake identification of bomber is from lahore.Recommend