Terror spate day ahead of Martic exams
LAHORE:THE twin-suicide hits at sensitive RA Bazaar and later five consecutive blasts in Iqbal Town on Friday spread panic among people who were yet to recover from the shock of Monday’s blast in Model Town.
The growing feeling of insecurity after five successive low-intensity blasts in Iqbal Town led the people of Lahore to lock themselves inside their homes. The blasts occurred at a time when 442,550 students in the City were preparing for matriculation examination starting from March 13. Friday’s afternoon deadly attacks on vehicles of security forces in RA Bazaar claimed the lives of over 40 people, including five security personnel, and injuring over 100. The area was swarming with people as terrorists launched their attack shortly before the start of Friday prayer.
Soon after the attacks, security forces personnel cordoned off the area and even reporters were denied access. A traffic mess was observed on various roads especially in Cantonment Area and adjoining localities soon after the attacks. Various roads, however, wore a deserted look after the blast and people preferred to stay indoors. Later, five low-intensity blasts in Iqbal Town area left people scared out of their wits as they had never seen such a display of terror. People rushed to their homes, adding to traffic mess on roads. The sudden flurry of phone calls also chocked networks of almost all cellular companies. Twin bomb blasts in Moon Market of Iqbal Town in December 2009 had claimed lives of dozens of innocent people and left dozens injured.
On Friday, the news of twin suicide attacks in RA Bazaar heightened tensions. People condemned the acts of terrorism in strongest terms. They contacted their loved ones and relatives in order to inform them about their safety. Talking to The News, people condemned terrorism, saying these were acts of enemies of humanity. Some callers told The News that educational institutions located close to the blast site were closed at the time of the attack otherwise innocent children would have gone through hell. FG Abid Majeed High School, RA Bazaar, operates in two shifts but it was closed down after Friday prayer owing to the suicide attacks. Meanwhile, parents have expressed concern over poor law and order, saying the growing insecurity was affecting students especially those appearing in matriculation annual examination 2010 starting across the province simultaneously from today The news
