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Lahore blast: 15 killed and at least 30 injured outside public park in eastern Pakistan Lahore blast: 38 killed and at least 100 injured outside public park in eastern Pakistan
(35 minutes later)
Fifteen people have been killed and another 30 injured in a blast outside a public park in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore. At least 38 people have been killed and another 100 injured in a blast outside a public park in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore.
Police said the nature of the blast was not clear. It is believed that the bomb detonated on Sunday evening in local time, when many people were visiting the park and that the majority of victims are women and children. Police said the nature of the blast was not clear but that officers are investigating whether the attack was a suicide bomb. It is believed that the bomb detonated on Sunday evening in local time, when many Christian families were visiting the Gulshan-e-Iqbal park area to celebrate Easter. The bomb detonated as families were leaving the park and the majority of victims are believed to be women and children.
“At least 10 people have been killed in a blast outside Gulshan Iqbal Park,” Jam Sajjad Hussain, spokesman for Recsue 112 told Reuters, adding that more than 30 people were injured and had been taken to various hospitals in the city. Mustansar Feroz, police superintendent for the area said: "At least 38 people were killed and more than 100 are injured. Most of the dead and injured are women and children."
Some local media reports suggest the death toll is higher and as many as 53 people may have been killed and over a hundred injured. However, this has not been confirmed. Rescue officials said that the bodies of more than 30 deceased had been taken to hospitals around the city. All hospitals in the city have been put on emergency alert to tend to the injured. It is reported that many of the injured have been seriously harmed in the explosion, prompting fears that the death toll could rise considerably higher.
Pakistan, a nuclear-armed nation of 190 million people, has long struggled with issues of Taliban insurgency, criminal gangs and sectarian violence. Lahore is the capital of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's political heartland Punjab, which is the country's biggest and wealthiest province. Some local media reports suggest the death toll is higher and that as many as 53 people may have been killed and over a hundred injured. However, this has not been confirmed.
With additional reporting by Reuters Senior police officer Haider Ashraf says the explosion appeared to be a suicide bombing but that investigations were ongoing to establish the cause.
Pakistan has long struggled with issues of Taliban insurgency, criminal gangs and sectarian violence. Lahore is the capital of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's political heartland Punjab, which is the country's biggest and wealthiest province.
With additional reporting by Reuters and PA