Death toll from Pakistan's shrine attacks rises to 50
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Islamabad, April 4, IRNA -- Death toll from twin deadly suicide attacks near a Sufi shrine in Pakistan's eastern Punjab province has risen to 50, doctors said Monday.
TV channels quoted hospital sources as saying that several wounded died of sever injuries.
Senior Advisor in Punjab government, Sardar Latif Khosa, told reporters that the third would-be suicide bomber, who was injured and arrested, was questioned by a joint investigation team on Monday.
The injured suspect, who has been identified as Fida Hussain, told the investigators that he and two other bombers had arrived from the northwest Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa three days ago for the attacks.
Three more suspects were arrested from the garrison city of Rawalpindi in connection with the shrine attacks, TV channels reported.
The suspect also said that the attack was planned in the Bajaur tribal region, a former stronghold of the Taliban militants.
The shrine of Syed Ahmad Sakhi Sarwar in Dera Ghazi Khan District was reopened for the visitors Monday morning and a large number of people visited the shrine. Police were deployed and walk-through gates installed at the shrine entrance gates.
A purported Taliban spokesman, Ahmadullah Ahmadi, had claimed responsibility for the attacks on the plea that it was a reaction to the army’s operation against the militants.
Security measures have been taken for Sufi shrine across Pakistan after the Sunday’s attacks.
It was the 5th major attacks on Sufi shrines in Pakistan in one-and-half year, which killed several hundreds and injured many others. Taliban had claimed responsibility for the attacks. Taliban oppose people visiting shrines.
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Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 30321582
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