10 killed in suicide attack near Sharif’s residence

Lahore, March 16

A teenaged Taliban suicide bomber attacked a police check post near the residence of Pakistan’s ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif in Lahore, killing 10 people, including six policemen, police said. According to officials, the blast took place last night next to the congregation of the Tableeghi Jamaat centre.
“Five policemen – two inspectors and three constables – are among nine persons killed in the blast,” rescue 1122 spokesman Jam Sajjad said. Today, one more policeman wounded in the attack succumbed to his injuries. His death brought the toll of those killed to 10. Around 14 policemen are among 25 injured. The condition of some of them is stated to be critical.
According to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), four suspected militants tried to enter the Tableeghi Jamaat gathering but were stopped by policemen. One of the attackers then blew himself up while the remaining managed to flee from the spot, a police officer said.
Inspector General Police Punjab Arif Nawaz confirmed that the blast was a suicide attack carried out by a teenaged boy who blew himself up near the check post. This is the first explosion targeting the provincial capital in 2018.