Suicide Bomber Kills 13 at Protest in Pakistan

[Mc'Lama™]

LAHORE, Pakistan — At least 13 people were killed, including six police officers, by a suicide bomber on Monday during a protest by hundreds of pharmacists in downtown Lahore, in eastern Pakistan, officials said. The attack wounded 108 people, 13 of them critically.

A breakaway faction of the Pakistani Taliban, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, claimed responsibility for the attack and warned the government of more strikes to come.

At least 400 pharmacists had gathered in front of the Punjab Province assembly building to protest a new provincial regulatory law, causing extensive traffic congestion that lasted for hours. In the evening, as police officers negotiated with the protesters, a suicide bomber on foot detonated his explosives, officials said.

A police officer at the site of the Lahore suicide bombin. Credit Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
The suicide bomber was around 20 years old and used 13 to 18 pounds of explosives, said the provincial law minister, Rana Sanaullah.

Local officials said they had urged the protesters to move away from the assembly building because earlier in the month, the federal government had warned Pakistanis of a possible terrorist attack. “The threat alert had warned that government buildings, schools and hospitals may be targeted,” said Sumair Ahmed, deputy city commissioner.

Muhammad Iqbal, a senior police officer who is part of the counterterrorism department, said that police officers were the target of the suicide bombing. “The counterterrorism department forensic team is investigating, and we will find out more about the attack,” Officer Iqbal said.

Many local reporters and television camera crews were at the scene covering the protest. “I was getting ready for our reporter’s live feed for the 6 o’clock bulletin when I heard a large blast,” said Mehboob Malik, a cameraman for Dawn News Television. “I was about 70 feet away when the explosion shook everything. Next, I saw people carrying the injured.”

An emergency was declared in major hospitals of Lahore, the provincial capital and the political home of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Army and paramilitary troops cordoned off the site of the blast.