Geo: Lahore triple blasts leave 29 dead, over 200 injured

LAHORE: Twenty-nine people were killed and over 200 others wounded, some seriously, in three blasts that ripped through a procession on the occasion of Yaum-e-Ali in Lahore on Wednesday.

The blasts left 29 people dead while over 200 wounded, including women and children were shifted to hospitals. Some of them are said to be in serious condition.

A police constable was also killed in the blasts, CCPO Lahore said.

A banned organization Lashkar-e-Jhangvi Al-Almi claimed responsibility of the deadly blasts.

The first blast that occurred in the middle of the procession at Karbala Gaame Shah was followed within minutes by two high intensity suicide blasts at Bhaati Chowk, police sources confirmed.

Commissioner Lahore said that the second and third blasts were suicidal and that a head of one of the suicide bombers has been recovered.

Relief and rescue efforts kick started after blasts and dozens of injured, including women and children were shifted to different medical facilities including Meo Hospital.

Later, the participants of the procession and enraged people pelted police vehicles with stones and damaged public property. A TV footage showed a motor cycle and furniture burning with rising flames.

President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani and Pakistan Muslim League-N Chief Nawaz Sharif strongly condemned the blasts and ordered the concerned authorities to carry out investigation.

The Prime Minister said those playing with lives of innocent people will not be able to escape from the grips of law.

The President, PM and Nawaz Sharif in their separate statements termed the blasts as cowardly acts and expressed sympathies with the bereaved families.

The President and Prime Minister ordered inquiry into the incident and provision all necessary medical facilities to the injured.