LAHORE, Mar 15: Two Taliban suicide bombers today blew themselves up in two packed churches during mass, killing 14 people and wounding 68 others in Pakistan’s biggest Christian neighbourhood in Lahore, triggering mob violence in which two suspected militants were burned to death.
The attackers blew themselves up at the gates of Roman Catholic Church and Christ Church in Youhanabad area during Sunday mass, causing stampede as panicked worshippers ran to save their lives.
At least 14 people, including a policemen, were killed in the twin attacks claimed by Tahreek-i-Taliban Pakistan’s splinter group Jamat-ul-Ahrar.
Officials of the Lahore General Hospital confirmed that the number of people killed in the blasts in Youhanabad area has reached 14 while the number of those injured was 68, including several who are critically wounded.
“The usual Sunday service was underway at the Christ Church and Catholic Church of Youhanabad Christian Colony when two suicide bombers reached there and tried to enter in the churches. However, when the guards stopped them from entering they blew them up,” Christian leader of the locality Aslam Pervaiz Sahotra told PTI.
He said a large number of Christians were present in the churches when the incident took place.
Punjab Emergency Service Rescue spokesman Jam Sajjad told PTI that the rescue officials had shifted the wounded to nearby hospital. He said it was suicide blasts and according to eyewitnesses the terrorists were stopped by the policemen and the local guards from entering the churches.
Soon after the attack, an enraged mob severely beat two suspects alleged to be involved in the attack. They later set them on fire. Their bodies were completely charred.
“We have taken two suspects believed to be the accomplices of the suicide bombers. The angry mob burnt the two terrorists after beating them. The suspects confessed that they were the accomplices of the suicide bombers and had come to monitor the operation,” an eyewitness said.
Youhanabad is Pakistan’s biggest Christian locality, housing at least one million people and over 150 churches.
Deputy Inspector General Lahore Haider Ashraf also confirmed that both blasts were suicide attacks.
“Both attacks were suicide blasts. Police personnel were deployed at the gate of the Churches. Two policemen lost their lives in the blats,” Ashraf said.
The minority communities in Pakistan have long been the target of attacks by the extremist and militant groups.
In 2013, twin suicide attacks were carried out at the All Saint’s Church in Peshawar’s Kohati Gate area, killing 80 and wounding over 100 others.
Christians took to streets after the incidents and blocked different roads in the city to lodge protest. (AGENCIES)
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