Lahore (Pakistan) Suicide Blasts: Third in As Many Months in 2008!
By Animesh Roul
A twin suicide attack shook the cultural capital of Pakistan, Lahore, killing 31 people with more than 175 injured in both incidents. The truck bombs were targeted, almost simultaneously, at the Federal Investigating Agency (FIA) building located at Temple Road that houses businesses and government offices and one advertising agency in Model Town area of the city created widespread panic and security concern in Lahore. The first bomb went off in the morning at about 9.25 AM near FIA building, has caused extensive damage to the eight-storey building. FIA mainly deals with immigration and human trafficking issues. It is reported (Geo TV) that the FIA building at Lahore housed the offices of a US-trained counter-terrorism unit.
The Lahore police had prior information on the suicide attacks in the city for sure, though failed miserably to prevent it eventually. In early February, security agencies had arrested three (would-be) suicide bombers and clamied to have seized suicide jackets and explosives from their possession. These 'future' jihadis had disclosed during investigations that four of their cadres have already entered southern Punjab and Lahore to target high profile politicians and leaders.
Today’s (March 11) blasts came a week (March 04) after similar (twin and motorcycle borne) suicide bombings at Navy War College, located in the city. At least six naval personnel died apart from the two bombers involved.
Unlike other cities of Pakistan, Lahore was relatively peaceful and unaffected by the wave of recent Jehadi strikes. This relative peace ended starting this year when 17 policemen got killed in a suicide bombing outside Lahore High Court on January 10.
A keen observer would suspect the hands of Jehadi group, Lashkar- e- Jhangvi (LeJ) in these blasts. In the last couple of months nearly 45 Lashkar-e-Jhangvi militants have been arrested in Lahore. On February 26, four LeJ cadres apprehended in the Kotwali area of the city, confessed to have planned terrorist activities including bomb blasts, assassination of political and religious figures and police officials.
The post- Red Mosque security situation and wave of terror strikes in Pakistan have been blamed on Baitullah Mehsud and his Teherik- e- Taliban Pakistan(TTP). No wonder today’s suicide blasts, as many would rightly suspect, may have a Baitullah-TTP angle too, though the outfit yet to claim responsibilities for these incidents.