Hundreds arrested as government comes down hard on Islamist militants
- Hundreds arrested
- Weapons seized in raids
- Funerals take place of victims of Easter Sunday park bombing
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There have reportedly been hundreds of arrests following an Easter Sunday suicide bombing in Pakistan that claimed scores of lives.
Jamaat-ur-Ahrar, a splinter group of the Pakistan Taliban, says the bomb detonated at the children’s playground in Lahore was meant to target Christians.
It was also intended as a message for the government, the group said.
Int agencies with Army& Rangers carried out 5 ops in Lhr,Fsd&Multan since last night. Ops continue with more leads coming in-2
— Gen Asim Bajwa (@AsimBajwaISPR) March 28, 2016
Army spokesperson Asim Bajwa says the operation is continuing ### Why is there a crackdown?
Pakistan’s prime minister has renewed his pledge to tackle terrorism in response to the bombing in the eastern city of Lahore.
Nawaz Sharif has decided to launch a paramilitary crackdown on Islamist militants in Punjab, the country’s richest and most populous province.
Why is this happening?
As Pakistan mourns, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif vows to defeat militants https://t.co/oqRQNSzZJI
— TIME.com (@TIME) March 29, 2016
Pakistan has been shocked to its core by the brutal bombing in Lahore.
At least 73 people were killed when a suicide bomber targeted a children’s play area at the park on Easter Sunday.
29 of them were children. It was mainly women and children who were caught up in the attack.
Many of those who died were Christians enjoying the Easter weekend.
Pakistan is a majority Muslim state but has a Christian population of more than two million.
Many live in Lahore, traditionally known as a wealthy and liberal city.
In tweets
Chinese President #XiJinping sends condolences to Pakistani counterpart over Lahore attack https://t.co/sAuQEPZvSY pic.twitter.com/DYGdlimFrS
— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) March 29, 2016
People are sharing this message in the wake of the Lahore blast https://t.co/yN3beGs1o9 pic.twitter.com/fvhu6yhsh5
— The Independent (@Independent) March 29, 2016
Dozens of young lives were lost in the Easter terrorist attack in #Lahore: https://t.co/gebAT0meGw pic.twitter.com/urjGPITv44
— CNN International (@cnni) March 29, 2016
A bombing in Lahore underscores the challenges of confronting extremism https://t.co/MwXaQtGuti pic.twitter.com/WIbXyZsvxS
— The Economist (@TheEconomist) March 28, 2016
What they are saying
“Today, I have come to you to renew my vow that we are accounting for each and every drop of blood of our martyrs. This score is being settled and we will not sit comfortably until the last tranche of this account is settled.” – Prime Minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif