Pakistan: Suicide bomb explodes on mall road in Lahore - multiple dead including top policemen

The Times of India 

At least 16 dead, several injured in blast in Pakistan's Lahore

TNN & Agencies | Updated: Feb 13, 2017, 08.45 PM IST

Highlights

1. The blast occurred during a protest by drug-chemist association members outside Punjab Assembly.
2. DIG Traffic Lahore Capt (retd) Ahmad Mobin was killed in the attack along with SSP Gondal of Punjab Police.
3. Jamaat-ur-Ahrar, a faction of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility for the attack.

The blast occurred during a protest by drug-chemist association members outside Punjab Assembly. (Photo: ANI)

NEW DELHI: At least sixteen people, including two top cops, were killed and several others injured in an explosion on Monday when a suicide bomber blew himself up during a protest rally outside the Punjab Assembly building in eastern Pakistan, police officials said.

Lahore Traffic Police chief capt (R) Mobeen Ahmed and Senior Superintendent Police Lahore Zahid Gondal were killed in the blast that targeted police personnel.

"Deputy Inspector General and Lahore police chief Mobeen Ahmed has been killed in the blast," Lahore police chief Amin Wains said.

He, however, did not confirm about other casualties. "I can confirm the death of Ahmed at the moment," Wains said.

DIG Ahmed had survived an attempt to his life during his posting in Balochistan.

A Lahore police officer said that apparently it was a suicide attack and the bomber targeted the police personnel present there. "The target was not the protest demonstration but the police officers," he added.

 Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanullah confirmed that it was suicide blast and 'some police officers' have been killed.

"The chemists were protesting against the controversial drug regulations the government has recently imposed when a powerful blast took place. Several protesters were lying on the road before the rescuers shifted them," said Ishtiaq Ahmed, a representative of the Lahore Chemist Association.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Jamaat-ur-Ahrar, a faction of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility for the attack. The group had also claimed responsibility for an Easter Day bombing in Lahore last year that killed more than 70 people in a public park.