Washington slams Lahore’s ‘appalling’ attack
The United States has censured the “appalling terrorist attack” that left scores of people dead in Lahore, Pakistan on Sunday.
The weekend bombing killed at least 65 people and injured 280 others at a park in the eastern Pakistani city.
US National Security Council spokesman Ned Price denounced the attack, saying in a statement that “this cowardly act in what has long been a scenic and placid park has killed dozens of innocent civilians and left scores injured."
"We send our deepest condolences to the loved ones of those killed, just as our thoughts and prayers are with the many injured in the explosion.”
A faction of Taliban, which calls itself Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, has claimed responsibility for the attack. Ahsanullah Ahsan, a spokesperson for the group said, “We want to send this message to [Pakistani] Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif that we have entered Lahore. He can do what he wants but he won't be able to stop us. Our suicide bombers will continue these attacks.”
"The target was Christians," he said.
Local officials said the blast occurred outside the Gulshan Iqbal Park, adding that the area was crowded with Christians celebrating the Easter holidays, and many families were leaving the park at the time.
Soon after the attack, the Punjab government ordered all public parks closed and announced three days of mourning in the province. The main shopping areas were shut down and many of the city's main roads were deserted. The flags on governmental buildings would also fly at half-mast during the period of the mourning.
Punjab Province, where the city is located, has traditionally experienced more calm compared to the rest of the country, which has been beleaguered by militancy waged by Pakistani Taliban and criminal activities.
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