-Death toll in blast climbs to 13
GUJRANWALA: The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on Sunday arrested a suspected ‘facilitator’ involved in a suicide blast in Lahore from Gujranwala.
The CTD raided a house at Aimnaabad area of Gujranwala and arrested a man named Zeeshan who is accused of being one of the facilitators of the Lahore suicide blast which claimed the lives of 12 people including five police officials, a security guard and civilians.
In his video message, Zeeshan said he is a grocer and that he is not involved in the Lahore attack.
The alleged facilitator further said that at the time of the blast he was inside the shrine and that he ran out as soon as he heard it. “I was accused of being a facilitator after being seen in the video,” he said.
Earlier, this week the security forces arrested five suspected facilitators from Garhi Shahu area after a raid on tea stall.
The suspects are believed to have been in contact with the individuals behind the suicide blast which targetted a police van stationed outside the entrance of Data Darbar.
On Thursday, an image of the alleged suicide attacker was released by the police. The image showed the attacker next to the right side of the Elite Force police van and 8:54 am. He is facing the main gate of Data Darbar and is wearing a shalwar kameez while carrying a bag.
According to Shahbaz Gill, spokesperson for the chief minister of Punjab, the suicide bomber was 15-years-old. He had exited a shop selling fruits before making his way to the Elite Force van.
Further, the death toll in Data Darbar blast climbed to 13 as another injured of the incident succumbed to his injuries.
According to details, a wounded victim of the blast succumbed to his injuries in Lahore’s Mayo Hospital.