Officials and analysts in Pakistan are confused about the fresh wave of violence in the country's heartland Lahore, nevertheless, one thing is clear that military and security agencies in the city are targets as military vehicles were hit again in Friday attacks.
Security personnel stand guard at the site of blast in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore on March 12, 2010. [Jameel Ahmed/Xinhua] |
Two suicide attackers blew themselves up near security forces vehicles in RA Bazaar area of a Lahore cantonment as crowds were gathering for Friday prayers, killing at least 44 people, 11 troops included, and wounding 95 others.
Hours after the twin suicide attacks, another bomb has exploded in Lahore, injuring four more people.
Police sources have confirmed the number of casualties. This was the second major incident in the city in 2010.
A car bomb explosion killed 13 people and injured 90 others near the Special Intelligence Agency (SIA) building in Model Town, Lahore on Monday when a suicide bomber rammed his explosive laden car into the government building.
Lahore, with a population of 6 million, is Pakistan's second largest city, and the capital of the eastern province of Punjab.
Various speculations about the attacks in Lahore are circulated as one is that militant organizations in the country, or Taliban are the role behind such attacks. However, experts in the country have different views.
Security analyst Brigadier Mehmood Shah told Xinhua that militants in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), Pakistani tribal areas bordering Afghanistan, are badly hit and faced severe resistance after their outfits were targeted.
Shah, a former FATA secretary, said that they were segmented into small groups and have no central policy, noting that Taliban in FATA have no capability to run a country-wide network.
"There are local militants groups in Punjab as well, he said.
Analyst Imtiaz Gul sees foreign hand behind the incidents in Lahore. However, no one is clear about the role behind the blasts and for the fresh blasts no one has claimed responsibility so far.
Law Minister of Punjab Rana Sanaullah said that investigation of the blasts is going on and it would be hard to say something conclusive.
Pakistani Foreign Office Spokesman Abdul Basit said that it is too early to say as who were behind the blast.
"Whosoever be behind the blast, it caused damages and enhanced miseries of layman," a Lahore local told Xinhua in a telephonic conversation.