City mourns Gulshan-e-Iqbal carnage

Provincial capital Lahore observed mourning following the deadly suicide attack at Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park, which claimed over 70 lives and injured several others at Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park on Sunday.

Heart-wrenching scenes were witnessed in different hospitals where the injured were admitted. Citizens including students, volunteers and people from different walks of life visited the hospitals to show solidarity with those affected by the tragedy.Relatives of the victims accused the government of security lapse.

Prime Minister Nawaz Shairf, CM Shehbaz Sharif along with Ch Nisar Khan, Rana Sanaullah Khan and others visited the hospital in tight security to inquire about the conditions of the injured.

All main markets, schools and business centres remained closed throughout the day after announcement from different associations.

Lahore Traders Association had announced on Sunday the closure of all markets in metropolis to observe a day of mourning over the barbaric incident. However, small shops and hotels remained open.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif chaired a high level meeting in Lahore on Sunday to discuss the security and law order situation in the wake of the Lahore blast. The meeting was attended by Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Federal Interior Minister Ch Nisar Ali Khan and other high ups.

CCPO Lahore Amin Wains, while talking to media, informed that Gulshan Iqbal Park had short boundary wall which can easily be climbed since it was broken on many parts.

Lahore CCPO Capt (r.)Amin Wains, quoting initial police inquiries, said the park was pathetically managed by Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) and its boundary walls, only four to five feet in height, were easily scalable.

He criticised Parks and Horticulture Authority management for failing to maintain security, adding that only 40 private guards were present to deal with any untoward incident.

However, he said there was no security lapse on the part of the police and said two mobile squads had been stationed at the main gate of the park. He further said there was no prior information of a terrorist attack on the eve of Easter.