Local residents gather at the site of an overnight bomb explosion at a food park in Lahore on July 7. PHOTO: AFP
LAHORE: Ninety suspects have been arrested in Saturday's Lahore bomb blast, while the death toll rose to five on Sunday, Express News reported.
The police arrested workers from the Anarkali hotels operating on the street as part of its investigations, whilst people living in the area were being questioned regarding their visitors.
According to the police, the amount of explosives used in the bomb attack on Saturday was low, hinting that the aim of the blast was to invoke fear and panic among people.
Police said that the explosive material had been kept in a refrigerator, whose compressor was found in an undamaged condition. A Bomb Disposal Squad official said the bomb weighed five to six kilogrammes which left a huge crater at the site. The blast damaged nearby shops in the food street where families were dining. Since it was Saturday night, the food street was abuzz with diners at the time of the blast.
The human loss of life was a result of exploding glass and metal nearby.
The police has taken all nearby motorcycles and other material in its custody as part of its investigations.
The Anarkali food street area comes under the NA 120 constituency of the National Assembly, where Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif proved victorious in the 2013 general elections.
Old Anarkali, famous for its eateries, is one of the most thickly populated and frequented areas of Lahore. A number of key official buildings, including the IGP office, are located in the neighbourhood.
Interestingly, there were no walkthrough gates or even a metal detector installed at the entrances to this bustling food street. Police claimed they had intelligence about possible security threats since last month. They added that a new strategy would be put in place to avoid such incidents during the holy month of Ramazan.
COMMENTS (46)
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And before reading the above comments, I thought we were Pakistanis. No wonder, why we are suffering.
@Go Zardari Go!!: Have you ever been to south Punjab' if not then refrain from making any judgment about that place' People can freely come and go there, they are not kidnapped or murdered there as in K PK or Baluchistan or Sindh. Plus the people of southern Punjab want there separate province as majority there is Seraiki speaking and they have to leave there places and have to come to Lahore In order to earn something. There is imbalance in the distribution of economy and Industry that's why there is hatred for upper Punjab. Everyone come and live and work here as they have no opportunities in their hometowns.
Please review Bazooka's comment. Does it meet your guidelines?
Is saying nasty things about a caste acceptable? Is making off topic comments acceptable?
If the comment does not meet your guideline, please remove it.
So far the terrorists spared NS and PML intentionally as they had a soft corner for the terrorists.Now the terrorists want to pressure and tell the government to submit to their demands and surrender to them. It is easy to understand, no ambiguity.
@Bazooka: this is prejudicial speech, plain and simple. Does the Tribune not apply it's own policy to these types of comments? "Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive."
@Awan: @Muslim Leaguer: all this talk of one province against another and one political party against another is what keeps Pakistan's enemies alive. You are so naively giving the terrorists hope and victory with the attitudes you portray.
@Hasan Khan ( PTI ): if this is the drivel PTI has to offer, then good luck to you.
@Rahim: Ahem... you should ask the government in those respective places that question ? However, arresting 90 suspects is not really a targeted response. More like a round up hoping that someone would be the real guilty party.
@Umer: Those unfortunate riots were fulled by religious extremists. They were not based on ethnicity. People wont drag you out of the bus and kill you after looking at your ID card. Update your memory.
Yup, the inept/ mentally retarded politicians and the police will definitely employ a new strategy during the month of Ramadan, it's called "hoping and praying" that the TTP are busy in the Holy month of Ramadan. This bunch of idiots is no better than the last bunch of idiots. All they can really do is to buy expensive properties, cars, clothes and loot our country blind. When it comes down to solving the electricity shortage they go and plead with China to take care of it. This is just laughable. I hope the Sharif bretheren a warm and happy ramadan in their hundred acre property lined with air conditioners while the rest of the country is collapsing right underneath them.
@umer. ..
well the media and courts are independent. ..if there is anything u must come up with proof. ..
its not the place where NA MALOOM afrad take the city in control and kill as many as they like. ..
instead Hindus who went to India from one province did not came back and took asylum there. ..
get the figures dude...despite having much more population the crime rate is many times less than other provinces. ..
set an example first and then talk...
@Ammar:
You are kidding? The culprits have gone Scott free and Christians were threatened by the authorities to take back cases or else. Some of the effected Christians had to leave country to save life. Do you even know what you are talking about? What planet do you Punjabis come from? So much for Punjabi justice.
Whoever thought Shia deaths wouldn't be avenged have been proven wrong finally. What goes comes around. I guess help is provided by neighbouring countries. Any guess which one of the three?
@umer...yes I know these places. ..when your country is in trouble riots can happen anywhere. ...but the point to be noted is that those culprits have been brought to justice (as it only happens in Punjab)...its not occupied by feudal lords...everything is reported here not camouflaged or hidden like other places. ..
for resources. ..for your kind information we are the only people who pay our electricity and gas bills (that's given to provinces by federal government)...
for the last 15 years we are deprived of electricity and gas (but we are not weeping like you)...
correct yourself man and get a life...
number could increase 90 to 900 because target on darkness, nobody knows who did it. innocent peoples get arrested. too bad for stupid Pakistan.
@Hasan Khan (PTI): You're a joke. Do us all a favour (I'm a PTI supporter, and a Punjabi) and leave Punjab as soon as possible. Waziristian might be a good place for you. We know how to deal with your kind. People like you are one reason why I support drone attacks over Waziristan.
The verbal diarrhea of some here is the reflective of the efforts we at Scotland Yard are doing to nab a serial killer, money launderer and a fugitive in London. The noose is tightening around this criminal with a every pasding day. Soon the largest city of Pakistan will be rid of these gangs of extortionists and target killers. We specially thank you the efforts of Imran Khan and his followers and supporters in helping us build a strong case against this mafia don.
Scotland Yard
Time to launch an operation in south punjab to rid us off these thugs. Only by sending our army into kpk, balochistan, south punjab, karachi and pretty much everywhere in pakistan will we ever rid us off these terrorists.
Punjab police nice work setting a record, guiness would be proud today. 90 people after one day what, you had these people on speed dial. These guys can train the CIA on good police work.
@Alikulikhan:
There is not bad blood between PMLN and the institutions. Army got all the money it wants in the budget without any accountability. The small explosion is just to encourage PMLN to speed up implementing its traditional right wing agenda now that it is in power. Apparently some of the PMLN friends are getting nervous that they are not getting fast enough what they traditionally expected from a PMLN government in power.
No Pakistani deserves terrorism but people of Punjab will fight them till bitter end. . We don't even have a single Member of Parliament elected from fundamentalists. Compare our assembly with other provincial assemblies. Even Karachi OFTEN elects some people from JI.. .
@Hasan Khan ( PTI ) I am a Punjabi and my wife is Paktoon. I don't think she will agree with your comments.
@Awan: My heart goes out to the victims and the bereaved families, those who are responsible for this murderous act should be brought to justice regardless who they are. Mr. Awan, no body is going to Conquer you people and eradicate your language Punjabi, You have voted for NS, good for you, in democracy every one should have a free will to elect whom ever they want to.Please refrain spewing venom at Pukhtuns, a few who could call them selves Pukhtun on twitter can not represent all Pukhtuns and how do you know they are Pukhtuns. I am a Pukhtun from Mardan and proud of it. This Punjabi dominance in Pakistan since the inception of Pakistan has created this hard feelings in the smaller provinces and there should be no need of it. In the US, South (Grey) was defeated by Northern(Blue) forces but it is the United States of American and they all consider themselves Americans first and identity with the States second. Does this make any sense to you and your Punjabi friends.By the way Pukhtuns has been bearing the brunt of this terrorism more than any other people in Pakistan and who is doing all this carnage, I don't know but fingers do point to certain outfits who see that the Taliban whether Pukhtuns in KP+Afghanistan or Punjab are an assets for the future of the State of Pakistan. Does Strategic Depth mean anything to you, and, who are in control of the Armed Forces, think about it.
@Ammar:
Really? Ever heard of Gojra, Shanti Nagar and Badami Bagh? What about the Anti-Shia outfits which are also accepted with open hearts? Resources of other provinces are also shamelessly accepted with open hearts leaving other provinces starved.
The hatred presented here speaks for it. i am a big critic of PTI but labelling them as punjabi party is sheer ignorance. Pti is leading party in National assembly form KPK. It is my strong suspicion here that people feeling trouble in london are spreading thes ethnic allegations
A few Thousand have died in dozens of bomb blasts in Baluchistan and Peshawar, and there have been near ZERO arrests.
One blast in Lahore, and 90 get arrested within 24 hours!!!
Why this blatant step child treatment ??????
This was the first attempt to destabilise the PMLN government. We will see more of these in the coming days because of the bad blood between the elected government and the institutions.
@Hasan Khan ( PTI ): The problem for you is that Punjab is not Sindh. everybody living in Punjab is treated as Punjabi irrelevant of his ethnicity, language and color.
@Umer: Don't blame Imran Khan for your own ignorance.
@Muslim Leaguer: Not to mention the investments Punjab Government has made in Punjab Police. The state of the art Forensic Labs and most attractive salaries of the four provinces keep Punjab police bound for performance. If SS provides them with incentives, he expects no negligence in return. Even in the provincial budgets, Punjab allocated a staggering 72 Billion PKR (Additional 7 billion over previous budget) despite being relative calm in the province.
I am stunned how much hatred is filled in you guys...for God sake clean your hearts...
The only issue of punjab is that everyone is accepted here with open heart...large communities of Diverse ethnic people are residing here in peace...but unfortunately some people cant digest it...try to follow the examples set by this province or set a better model yourself...
@Hasan Khan ( PTI ) I have to agree with you. Mushaaraf was a Non Punjabi and he tackled everything and i hope Pakistan Army will took over from PMLN on the model of Egypt. Punjab must be handed over to Imran Khan and make him the chief minister of Punjab.
@Hasan Khan ( PTI ) Shame on you PTI supporter and also keep dreaming of Conquering Punjab. Even with all of your resources you cannot do that and let us see how you will do that. The way Pukhtoons are celebrating bomb blast in Lahore on twitter and facebook only show your dirty mindset and nothing else. Also one information for you that If you are living in Punjab then you are a Punjabi and if you dont want to accept our traditions and values then you are free to leave but if will be only on our dead bodies that you will dream of ending us or conquering us or ending our language or traditions.
The Govt. should make the investigation process transparent this time and tell people exactly what they have found.
No condemnation from great Imran Khan still?
Instead of arresting people shouldn't PMLN be negotiating with these terrorists, as this is what they suggest for murderers in other provinces?
The blast is unfortunate and is highly condemned. But Punjab Police takes the lead in arresting the suspects within a few hours, unlike Sindh Police that keeps sleeping over the blasts until the people bury their loves ones and forget the sad episode. Another reason that Punjab Police is always on its toes is Mian Shahbaz Sharif who always rushes to the crime scene and suspends a few officials for their gross negligence. On the other hand, Pir Qaim Ali Shah never ever visits the blast site and no law enforcement official has ever been suspended for negligence.
90 suspects thats quite a big number? I hope you aren't arresting innocents!
arresting 90 people !!! as suspects for a bomb blast . What a joke? All the hotel workers in the street no less. I am sure they were let off after paying a reasonable amount each to the police.
Nathan
Well time to negotiate with and handover Punjab to TTP too. This is the formula that Punjbai parties PTI and PMLN suggest for KPK and FATA.
90 suspects!!! Are you kidding me! You might as well turn the whole city into a temporary prison!
Punjab must be ruled by a Non Punjabi like Imran Khan and all Non Punjabi must support Imran Khan in Punjab next time because Punjabi mindset is to promote terrorism to have their goals achieved and history tells us that and unless terrorism will not be ended from grass root level of Punjab nothing productive can come out at all. Terrorism must be defeated but for that people of Punjab must support Non Punjabi admnistration who can only end this menace.
So Punjabi Talibans are avenging drone strike on Punjabi Talibans in North Waziristan. Brilliant