LAHORE, Pakistan: A suicide blast occurred near the Wagah border on Sunday evening, killing at least 60 persons including three Rangers personnel and injuring over 100 others.
The banned Jundullah group and Jamaat-ul-Ahrar accepted responsibility for the blast near Wagah border.
The dead and injured persons were shifted to Shalimar, Mayo, Services and Ghurki Hospitals while emergency was imposed in all hospitals of Lahore city.
Those killed in the blast also included eight members of the same family.
The Punjab Police Inspector General (IG) Mushtaq Ahmad Sukhera said that explosive material weighting up to five kilograms was used in the blast. He said that blast occurred after the flag lowering ceremony was over at the Pak-India joint border this evening.
The IG Punjab said that the bomb exploded outside a restaurant near a paramilitary soldiers’ checkpoint at Wagah border.
initial: Bomb Disposal Squad says upto 6 kg explosive used in suicide blast, legs of suicide bomber found, at Wagah border #Lahore
— Khalid Khan™ (@khalidkhan787) November 2, 2014
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, President Mamnoon Hussain and Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif expressed grief over the loss of precious lives in the blast.
The prime minister sought report of the incident and directed the concerned authorities to provide best medical treatment to the injured people.