More than 40 people, including women and children, were killed in a suicide bomb attack at thew Wagah checkpoint near Lahore along the India-Pakistan border on Sunday evening.
Pakistan's Punjab police chief Mushtaq Sukhera said an 18-year-old man tried to enter the security perimeter of the border area complex and blew himself up when Pakistani Rangers stopped him.
Atleast two border guards died in the attack as casualties mounted with most of the injured being rushed to Lahore's Jinnah Hospital. Security officials also suspect the bomber planned to detonate himself further inside the complex to ensure casualties on the Indian side of the checkpoint.
The flag ceremony at wagah checkpoint is attended by hundreds of people on both sides of the Pakistan-India border and is particularly crowded on Sunday. Heart-rending scenes were witnessed in different Lahore hospitals where the dead and injured were brought in. In some instances, several members of one family died in the blast. Most of the people who died in the blast were those who were returning from the flag-lowering ceremony that took place around 6pm. "We received more than 35 bodies including those of women and children and 60 to 70 were wounded," Deputy Medical Superintendent of Ghurki Hospital near the wagah checkpoint crossing, identified only as Dr Khurram, told domestic television channels.
The flag ceremony at wagah checkpoint is attended by hundreds of people on both sides of the Pakistan-India border and is particularly crowded on Sunday. Heart-rending scenes were witnessed in different Lahore hospitals where the dead and injured were brought in. In some instances, several members of one family died in the blast. Most of the people who died in the blast were those who were returning from the flag-lowering ceremony that took place around 6pm. "We received more than 35 bodies including those of women and children and 60 to 70 were wounded," Deputy Medical Superintendent of Ghurki Hospital near the wagah checkpoint crossing, identified only as Dr Khurram, told domestic television channels.
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