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Police avert terror attack in Lahore

* Terrorist blows himself up after being stopped by police at motorway

By Rana Tanveer

LAHORE: Police on Monday thwarted a terrorist attack targeting a police checkpost at the Babu Sabu Interchange of the Lahore-Islamabad motorway, an entry point into Lahore.

According to eyewitnesses, the attacker was travelling in a car with an alleged accomplice. Upon being stopped by police for a routine inspection, the man got out of the car’s passenger seat and detonated his suicide jacket, injuring 25 people, including the car’s driver.

Civil Defence District Officer Mazhar Hussain told Daily Times that eight to 10 kilogrammes of explosive material had been used in the attack. Mazhar said the terrorist’s head was found some 30 yards from the blast site. He said the attacker’s face was scarred but recognisable, adding the attacker seemed to be 18. After the blast, the Motorway interchange was closed and motorists were asked to use alternative routes into the city including the Kala Shah Kaku and Thokar Niaz Beg interchanges.

Police officials said the car was packed with huge quantities of explosives and "could have caused a catastrophe" had it entered the city, AFP reported.

Rescue 1122 sources said the injured included five policemen, who were in critical condition.

Rewarded: Separately, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif announced a prize of Rs 2 million for Constable Muhammad Latif, the policeman who stopped the car and had been severely injured. The CM said the constable had set an example of dedication to his duty by saving the people of the city from a huge disaster. He said such exemplary bravery was worth emulating in all aspects of life. The Rescue 1122 sources said the injured had been identified as police personnel Taimoor Nasir, Liaqat, Zamanullah, Saeed, Latif, Nazeer, Imran, Ghulam Sarwar, and Amjad. They said the civilians injured in the attack were Muhammad Gull, Munawar, Zafar Muhammad, Ameen, Basheer Ahmed, Muhammad Saleem, Mian M Naveed, Muhammad Ejaz and Saleem. They said 10 of the injured had been shifted to Services Hospital, 10 to Jinnah Hospital, four to Mayo Hospital and one to Mian Muhammad Munshi Hospital. President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani strongly condemned the attack. In their separate messages, the president and the PM expressed grief and shock over the incident and reiterated the government's resolve to fight and eliminate terrorism from the country, APP reported. The country has been on full security alert for weeks, following a surge in terrorist attacks blamed on Taliban and Al Qaeda-linked terrorists.

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