Pakistan suicide attack leaves 56 dead

At least 56 people have been killed in a suicide attack in Gulshan-i-Iqbal Park of Iqbal Town in Pakistan on Sunday evening, provincial government officials said. Edhi sources add that over 200 are injured, reports Dawn.

Iqbal Town Superintendent Police Dr Muhammad Iqbal confirmed this was a suicide attack and took place at a children's park, where a large number of families, especially women and children, were present.

DCO Captain (Retd) Muhammad Usman said the head of the suicide bomber has been recovered. Ball bearings have also been found at the site.

The area is a renowned residential area of Lahore. The blast was just outside the exit gate and a few feet (metres) away from the children's swings.

Eye witnesses said there were pools of blood and scattered body parts across the site of the attack.

"We took the injured to hospitals on rickshaws and taxis," one eye witness said.

He added that the crowd was "unusually large" because of Easter.

"The roads were also jammed and queues of vehicles could be seen till Moon Market."

'No security'

Many eyewitnesses said there was no security present in and around the park. An eye witness, talking to Dawn News, said: "The park is huge and has many entrance gates. There was almost negligible security personnel present there."

A Rescue 1122 spokesman confirmed that an emergency call was received at around 6:44pm and that over 20 ambulances reached the site.

An emergency has been declared at all government hospitals in the city, and a heavy contingent of police has cordoned off the area.

The Punjab government has announced three days of mourning.