Suicide bomber kills 62 on Pak side of Wagah border

Lahore: At least 62 people, including 17 women and three security personnel, were killed and more than 150 injured in a lethal suicide attack on the Pakistan side of Wagah border, the only road crossing between Amritsar and Lahore, minutes after the flag lowering ceremony on Sunday. Banned terrorist organization Jundullah claimed responsibility for the attack.
Punjab inspector general of police Mushtaq Sukhera said the bomber triggered the explosion outside a restaurant near a paramilitary soldiers' checkpoint at Wagah. "The parade venue is about 600 metres ahead of the blast site. The suicide bomber detonated the bomb away from the parade venue because of the strict checking," said top Rangers officer Tahir Khan. "If the blast had occurred close to the border gate, the devastation would have been far greater," Khan added.
Nonetheless, the attacker crossed four security checkpoints and was waiting for the public to gather as the flag hoisting ceremony was about to end, said Shuja Khanzada, Punjab's interior minister.
"His target was to get close to soldiers at the border but he was unable to cross the last checkpoint," he said. Ahmed Marwat, spokesman of al-Qaida-affiliated Jundullah told Pakistan media that the attack was in retaliation against Pakistan Army's Operation Zarb-i-Azb against militants in Waziristan.
Beating retreat cancelled for 3 days
Pakistan Rangers requested BSF to cancel beating retreat ceremony at Wagah border for the next three days, which was agreed to by BSF chief DK Pathak.
Journalists were told to clear out of the area which was cordoned off by security men. An official said that the Indian side of Wagah border was "safe" after blast on Pakistani side.
Suspected suicide bomber arrested
Pakistani authorities, meanwhile, announced the arrest of at least 20 people, including a suspected suicide-bomber, for Sunday’s attack. Authorities said they recovered 8 kg explosives and a suicide vest from area flanking the blast site, even as entire Pakistan was on red alert on Muharram eve to deter any possible attack on Shias who’ve been targeted by the Taliban and its offshoots in the past.
Cops in Lahore told news agencies that residential areas in Wagah were being searched and 20 people were arrested, including a 17-year-old suspected suicide-bomber, Abdul Rehman, a resident of Multan district, 350 km away. Rehman had gone missing from a seminary in the old city of Lahore a month ago. “Police along with an intelligence agency raided a house in Multan and arrested Rehman,” a cop said, adding Rehman is now at an unknown place and being questioned.