The death toll from Saturday’s bombing at Anarkali Food Street raised to five on Sunday after another victim died at a hospital.
Hospital sources said as many as 10 of the injured were in a critical condition. Nearby buildings and parked vehicles were damaged as a result of the blast. Rescue and emergency teams reached the scene and security forces cordoned off the area.
According to the Lahore DCO, around 0.5 kilogramme of explosives were used in the bomb.
Old Anarkali is one of the most populous as well as most frequented areas of Lahore, which is famous for its variety of eateries being the oldest food street of the city.
Punjab Labour and Human Resources Minister Raja Ashfaq Sarwar said that after the Anarkali bombing Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had issued instructions to the IG from China to make it sure that life and property of citizens is fully protected.
He directed that walk through gates would be installed at all important markets and metal detectors at mosques, especially during sehr and iftar.
He said Punjab Police had intensified patrolling around all important locations, especially mosques, imambargahs and churches. Sarwar said all regional, city and district police officers across the province had been directed to remain highly alert and ensure foolproof security and maintain law and order in their respective areas. He directed police officers to take effective measures, especially in crowded places, to prevent incidents of terrorism and subversion and ordered deployment of plainclothesmen where necessary.
Police officers have been directed to utilise all the available resources and their best professional skills to maintain vigil over the activities of suspected persons, and dubious elements.
Sarwar urged the people to cooperate with the police in this regard, saying that in case they find any unclaimed object or see a suspicious person or shady activity they must immediately inform police emergency and Rescue 15 to prevent any untoward incident.
Meanwhile, Gujranwala Additional IG Khuda Bukhsh Awan and Faisalabad DIG Javed Islam have directed DPOs to further strengthen and beef up security to frustrate evil designs of anti-people, anti-state and unscrupulous elements.
Separately, Lahore Police rounded up over 200 foreigners, including Afghan nationals, during an operation prompted by Saturday’s bombing.
No terrorist group has claim the responsibility for the attack so far.
Meanwhile, initial investigation revealed that a remote-controlled device was used in the bombing.
A Bomb Disposal Squad official said the bomb weighed five to six kilogrammes which left a huge crater at the scene. The blast damaged nearby shops in the food street where families were dining. Since it was Saturday night, the food street was abuzz with diners at the time of the blast.
The human loss of life was a result of exploding glass and metal nearby.
The Anarkali Food Street area falls under NA-120 constituency from where Nawaz Sharif won election.
The area, famous for its eateries, is one of the most thickly populated and frequented areas of Lahore.
Interestingly, there were no walkthrough gates or even a metal detector installed at the entrances to this bustling food street. Police claimed they had intelligence about possible security threats since last month. They added that a new strategy would be put in place to avoid such incidents during the holy month of Ramazan.
Meanwhile, Punjab Inspector General (IG) Khan Baig has warned of more terror attacks at public places and buildings in the province.
According to an official communiqué, the police have been directed for surveillance and tight security at all public and private places.
The statement read the next 72 hours were important as terrorists could strike at other places as well.
The IG said that security has been tightened with deployment of additional cops and strict checking was being conducted at check posts installed across the city.
