At least three people were killed and 20 injured in a major blast in Pakistan’s Lahore on Wednesday. The blast reportedly occurred at a police picket outside the Lahore residence of Hafiz Saeed, co-founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba and the chief of Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD).

Police and bomb disposal teams reached the site of the incident soon after the explosion at BOR Society in Jauhar Town and started rescue operations. The case has now been taken over by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD).

Those injured in the blast were shifted to Lahore’s Jinnah Hospital via private cars and auto-rickshaws, a rescue official said. As many as six of the injured are believed to be critical.

Witnesses said the intensity of the blast was such that the glass windows of nearby houses and buildings were shattered. A few buildings at the site of the incident were also damaged in the blast.

CTD to probe blast

Several photos and videos of the blast in Lahore were shared on social media.

The exact nature of the blast, however, has not been ascertained yet.

An eyewitness told Geo News that an unidentified individual parked a motorcycle near the house which later exploded. Police, meanwhile, cordoned off the area for further investigation while traffic was redirected.

However, Inspector General of Police (Punjab) Inam Ghani said it was a car bomb explosion. Ghani even termed the incident an “act of terror”. Stating that the CTD will determine whether the blast was the result of a suicide bombing, Inam Ghani also alleged that “hostile” intelligence agencies could be involved.

“Explosive material was installed in the car. There was a police picket outside the high-value target’s house. The car could not cross the police picket,” Ghani was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

Interior minister seeks report

Pakistan’s Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid has sought a report on the incident from the Punjab chief secretary and IG.

Condemning the incident, Usman Buzdar, chief minister of Punjab province, said action will be taken against those behind the blast.

In a tweet, the office of Usman Buzdar said that the CM demanded a report from the police regarding the blast in Lahore. He also ordered an investigation into the incident.

The Punjab province government added that instructions were given to rescue and relief agencies to expedite relief activities.

Where is Hafiz Saeed?

A United Nations-designated terrorist, Hafiz Saeed (71) is serving a jail sentence at the Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore. He was convicted in five cases of terror financing and imprisoned for 36 years.

Saeed carries a bounty of USD 10 million on his head, announced by the US. He has also been designated a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the US Department of Treasury.

It is widely believed that Saeed’s Jamaat-ud-Dawah is a front for the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The LeT is responsible for a number of terror attacks, including the 2008 Mumbai attack.

Story from: https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/lahore-blast-pakistan-residence-injured-deaths-update-1818365-2021-06-23, Photo by Newsyolo

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