Pakistan explosion leaves many dead at Lahore park

[MowCowWhoHow III]

Source: BBC

An explosion in the Pakistani city of Lahore has killed at least 38 people and injured dozens more, officials say.

The blast was in a large park in the south-west of the city, where many people had gathered late on Sunday.

Police told the BBC it appeared to be a suicide bomb. No group has said it was behind the blast.

There is speculation that Christian families out for the Easter weekend may have been the target.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-35908512

---

Attack in #Lahore targeted Christians celebrating Easter holiday at Gulshan-e-Iqbal park. Local media saying as many as 53 dead.
https://twitter.com/Conflicts/status/714113721690415104

At least 53 dead after explosion in Lahore's Gulshan-i-Iqbal Park: Police

LAHORE: An explosion occurred in Gulshan-i-Iqbal Park of Iqbal Town on Sunday evening, killing at least 53 people and injuring over a 100, police said.

Iqbal Town Superintendent of Police Dr Muhammad Iqbal said the explosion was a suicide attack and took place in a children's park, where a large number of families, especially women and children, were present on a Sunday evening. The area is a renowned residential area of Lahore.

Eye witnesses said there were pools of blood and scattered body parts in the park.

An eyewitness, talking to DawnNews, said dead bodies and injured were on the ground everywhere. "We took the injured to hospitals on rickshaws and taxis." He said the crowd was "unusually large" because of Easter. "The roads were also jammed and queues of vehicles could be seen till Moon Market."

http://www.dawn.com/news/1248259

[Turborama]

1. Here's a pic of the park

It was even busier today too, by the sounds of it.

[forest444]

5. It was beautiful.

Well maintained and built to last.

Those good people. More victims we can thank that craven bastard Cheney for. Pakistan was always a troubled country; but nothing like it's been since Cheney and his pet idiot set up a narco state in Afghanistan.

[former9thward]

23. Ahh no.

Obama has been running the Afgan operation for over 7 years now. He owns it. He was the one that said Afghanistan was the "just" war.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

30. Can you legit cite a post you've made where you've ever said....

....anything positive about a Democrat or one where you aren't tacitly defending a Republican? It would make my Easter, seriously.

[former9thward]

33. So you are admitting it is ok to make things up

as long as it is for partisan reasons.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

52. Why don't you just take a shot at what I ask

Trust me, it's not one post with you.

Humor me.

[JI7]

34. check out the history of Pakistan. not everything is about the US

[Turborama]

2. Latest death toll is 53.

Link: http://atimes.com/2016/03/53-killed-in-blast-at-childrens-park-in-pakistans-lahore/

[bemildred]

3. Soft targets.

[MariaThinks]

20. who isn't a soft target?

[840high]

22. We all are. Everywhere.

[MariaThinks]

24. anywhere someone 'becomes radicallized' all of a sudden.

[bemildred]

44. Well, Assad for example, he's proved pretty hard to kill. nt

[Democat]

4. Very sad

How long until some DUer blames Bush or Obama instead of the sick people with the bombs?

[Igel]

6. 11 minutes.

Not only does it blame Bush or Obama (actually it reaches back to Cheney).

No mention of the home-spun quasi-Salafist Deobandi movement in Pakistan, or that its fundamentalism and conservatism made it really easy to mix with Wahhabism. That this movement produced a number of nationalist Muslim groups, some of which are terrorist by most people's definition. (That Islamism is a kind of nationalism strikes us as weird, but it pays to remember that "Jewish" may be an ethnicity but one rooted primarily a religion, and that in some parts of the world where it calls for ethnicity in passports you list or would have listed your religion, so under the Ottomans; Muslims constitute a natio, a "nation," and most fundamentalists consider an attack on Muslims to be an attack on their natio by members of another natio--whether that is "the" Christian nation, Hindu nation, or Jewish nation.)

[MariaThinks]

21. were things peaceful in the middle east before cheney?

[rockfordfile]

26. What does that suppose to mean?

These right wing extremist groups do go back to Reagan and Bushco.

[6chars]

7. so people of one random religious group targeted a different group

what else is new?

[MariaThinks]

12. from the article

"There is speculation that Christian families out for the Easter weekend may have been the target"

[MariaThinks]

14. the 50 odd people that just got slaughtered in the name of religion

[6chars]

16. Yep. Religious groups always slaughtering each other.

[MariaThinks]

19. show me the last christian group who killed muslims anywhere in pakistan?

[Sunlei]

37. Is it republicans who always whine America is a 'Christian nation'?

"Christians", Muslim 'groups' & Jewish groups have been exterminating each other for thousands of years in that part of the world.

[MariaThinks]

38. i would so like to stick to 2016

[Sunlei]

41. Republicans whined about their (RW) Christian Superiority this year too & harassed 'OtHeRs' 2016.

[MariaThinks]

39. i guess the answer to my question is that there are no examples of christians blowing up muslims in

Pakistan.

[Sunlei]

42. How many christians (jewish people for that matter) still live in Pakistan in NOT-walled enclaves?

Not walled meaning safe/ free to mingle among society, travel anywhere with no worries?

[MariaThinks]

55. i think most of the Christians have been attacked by the muslims in Pakistan

including little children. One girl was almost executed because someone accused her of blasphemy. Turns out it was all made up but the girl was on deathrow for months. Let's think on that.

[Recursion]

8. So awful... Mumbai's sister city

I just can't

[MowCowWhoHow III]

9. Suicide attack kills at least 69 in Lahore; Army deployed

Suicide attack kills at least 69 in Lahore; Army deployed

LAHORE: At least 69 people were killed and over 300 others injured in a deadly suicide explosion near the city’s Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park on Sunday, rescue and security officials said.

The suspected suicide attacker blew himself up in the parking space of the recreational park. A large number of people including women and children were present at the park due to weekly holiday.

Pakistan Army troops have been deployed as the park and surrounding area has been cordoned off by the security forces.

"At least 38 people were killed and more than 100 are injured," Mustansar Feroz, superintedent of police for the area had told Reuters earlier. "Most of the dead and injured are women and children."

http://www.geo.tv/latest/103000-At-least-2-killed-20-injured-in-blast-near-Lahores-Gulshan-e-Iqbal-park

[Overseas]

10. Sad K&R.

[NutmegYankee]

11. How fucked up in the head do you have to be to murder Families and Children having fun?

[MariaThinks]

15. aren't the radicalized muslims doing this all over the world?

what's new?

[NutmegYankee]

36. radiacalized anybody anyfaith has been doing this across the world.

One look at the Oklahoma City Building on April 19, 1995 or a peak into Sandy Hook Elementary confirms that fact. Terrorism isn't a faith, it's an ideology. Faith is just an excuse to justify the political goal they seek.

[MariaThinks]

40. those were not happening everyday in the name of God.

[NutmegYankee]

43. What is the point you want to make?

But before you start, I can guess that you will probably comment that it's the faith causing it, but I KNOW that is bullshit. The vast majority of Muslims do not believe in attacks like this, nor do they support or carry them out. I understand that, because just as people choose their faith by being born into it, I chose to own guns by being born into it and raised as such. And just as 99.9% of Muslims will never hurt anybody, 99.9% of gun owners in the USA will never hurt anyone. But that doesn't stop the fucksticks of society from blaming all of them for the actions of so few.

Islam is a beautiful faith and culture, but people only see the bad things that a tiny few carryout. The terrorists WANT you to hate and shun all Muslims to prove to them that Western society can't accept them. The radical few feed off of division and dream of a world at war. Don't give it to them.

[MariaThinks]

54. then why don't they come against?

- don't kill a muslim who converts to another religion
- don't feel it's okay to kill homosexuals
- don't feel it's okay to kill cartoonists
- don't feel it's okay to stone adulterers to death.

Let's see how many moderates chime in and actually say they condemn these acts unequivocally. With 1.6 Billion muslims, I'm sure there are many on DU.

[MariaThinks]

59. Notice, after thousands of people are blown up - NOT ONE moderate muslim voice is

voiced to say that these things are not part of islam.

its sort of the embezzeler that says he can't be bothered to respond to an allegation.

[LanternWaste]

61. More accurately, "not one moderate Muslim voice that I've heard,"

More accurately, "not one moderate Muslim voice that I've heard," as Muslim voices in opposition to these actions is quite common. Criticism of Islamic terrorism on Islamic grounds has also been made by Abdal-Hakim Murad. Fethullah Gülen, a prominent Turkish Islamic scholar, has claimed that "a real Muslim," who understood Islam in every aspect, could not be a terrorist. There are many other people with similar points of view such as Prof. Ahmet Akgunduz , Harun Yahya and Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri.

Ali Gomaa, former Grand Mufti of Egypt, stated not only for the Islam but in general: "Terrorism cannot be born of religion. Terrorism is the product of corrupt minds, hardened hearts, and arrogant egos, and corruption, destruction, and arrogance are unknown to the heart attached to the divine."

However, extremism gets the headlines. It sells better in the states.

[MariaThinks]

62. their violence is easily heard.

[Angel Martin]

45. yet another DU attempt at obfuscation

here is map that someone did of the terrorist attacks in March.

Of course it was done 5 days ago so it is missing a bunch, included the latest in Lahore, and "smaller" ones like the shop owner in Glasgow who was murdered for wishing his fellow countrymen a happy easter.

http://www.citylab.com/crime/2016/03/apart-from-brussels-here-are-8-other-cities-attacked-by-extremists-this-month/474855/#disqus_thread

[MariaThinks]

53. scary. Thanks for sharing this.

[ileus]

57. The old "all faiths do it" doesn't even fly here.

Sandy Hook was somehow a Religious based attack? Just because someone is white doesn't mean their attack was in the name of Christ.

[NutmegYankee]

63. Just a few hundreds years of "let God sort them out".

Sandy Hook was an example of terror by other motives. Religion is normally an excuse to cover another motive. ISIS wants political power, the crusaders wanted land and wealth.

[Eugene]

13. According to CNN, a Taliban group is claiming responsibility.

The were deliberately targeting the Easter celebrations.

[MariaThinks]

17. it would be taliban, isis, al queda or a formerly quiet nice person

who recently became radicalized.

[MariaThinks]

18. i guess they are not tolerant towards other people's religion

and yet we offend by even questioning the causes of the Islamic radicalization.

after 911, I was forever arguing that it was the act of a lone few. After Malala was shot in the head for daring to go to school, I started to get concerned. After the governor of Punjab in Pakistan was killed by his bodyguard to keep blasphemy on the books as a crime punishable by head - and the assassin became a hero to the masses - I really started to question my tolerance and understanding.

The patter I keep seeing is tolerance in one direction, but not for any other direction. The poor muslim merchant who posted something nice about easter was stabbed to death in ENGLAND. Then there's the attack in Iraq at a soccer game, then Belgium, now this.

[840high]

25. Most certainly not lone few.

[MariaThinks]

27. not even close

[oberliner]

28. Was this a deliberate attack against Christians?

Certainly seems that way since a park at Easter was the target.

[DonCoquixote]

29. if we were paris, and we were brusels

we are also Lahore

[Tobin S.]

46. Yes. It pains me to see little coverage of this attack and any attack in the East and Mid-East

while any attack against the West gets wall to wall coverage 24/7 for weeks.

[oberliner]

56. Seems that the real pain is that we live in a world where this sort of thing happens at all

Let alone so frequently.

What CNN covers is determined by what will generate the most advertising revenue.

[MowCowWhoHow III]

31. Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a Pakistani Taliban splinter group have claimed responsibility for the attack

BREAKING: Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a Pakistani Taliban splinter group have claimed responsibility for the attack in Lahore.
https://twitter.com/Conflicts/status/714155863993401344

http://tribune.com.pk/story/1073825/blast-in-lahore-leaves-several-injured/

#LahoreAttack #Pakistan #Taliban linked group Jamaatul Ahrar claimed responsibly for attack. Spokesman said Christian community was target.
https://twitter.com/Shaimaakhalil/status/714153058662551554

Spokesman of "Jammat Ul Ahrar", group claiming responsibility for today's #LahoreAttack, is on twitter:
https://twitter.com/HaraldDoornbos/status/714159119121432576

[MowCowWhoHow III]

32. Scores killed in Lahore suicide attack

Scores killed in Lahore suicide attack

At least 65 people have been killed and over 300 others injured in a suicide blast outside a public park in Pakistan's eastern city of Lahore, health ministry officials said.

Al Jazeera's Kamal Hyder, reporting from the capital, Islamabad, said that people from the Christian community were out to celebrate Easter in the park when the bomber detonated himself. Hyder added that the park is popular with families and children.

A faction of Pakistan Taliban has claimed responsibility for the deadly attack. Ehsanullah Ehsan, spokesperson of Tehrik-e-Taliban, in a statement said that Christians were the target.

The blast occurred at 6:40pm local time in the parking area of Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park, a few metres away from children's swings, officials said on Sunday.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/03/deadly-blast-hits-pakistan-lahore-160327143110195.html

[kdmorris]

35. Saw this this morning...

I cannot fathom the pain they are in. I doubt they will get as much attention on the news, either, because the media never even mentioned that a terrorist attack happened in Ankara two weeks ago.

I just empathize closely with just taking your children to the park to enjoy a beautiful spring day and then it's all ripped away from you in an instant.

Now up to 65+ dead and 300+ wounded.

[oberliner]

47. You doubt this will get much attention on the news?

It been all over every news network all day long.

[kdmorris]

48. Then I am wrong

But given the absolute lack of coverage of the Ankara terrorist attack a couple of weeks ago, I felt sure that the media wouldn't cover this, either. I haven't had the TV on all day, so if they are actually covering it... good.

[oberliner]

49. Maybe it is because of who committed the Ankara terrorist attack

They are a Kurdish group specifically and exclusively focused on Turkey, whereas the groups that are responsible for the attacks in Brussels and Lahore are more international in scope.

[kdmorris]

50. Maybe

But innocent men, women and children still died. I don't care who killed them... they deserve to have their lives matter in the media if others' lives are going to matter.

[oberliner]

51. Agreed

But there are innocent men, women, and children being killed daily in places around the world that most Americans have never even heard of. In my opinion, it is the responsibility of those who care about these lesser known conflicts to spread the word about them if we don't feel they are getting the attention they deserve. In this current media age, that is more possible than ever before.

[Blue_Tires]

66. "...the media never even mentioned that a terrorist attack happened in Ankara two weeks ago."

I don't know what "media" folks are reading and watching every night, but it sure as hell isn't the BBC: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-35798517

[Darb]

58. Any chance a Republican will mention this? You know, brown people,

being bombed by terrorists?

Doubt it.

[LeftishBrit]

60. Scumbags

Nothing worse than people who target children.

So tragic.

[MowCowWhoHow III]

64. IS Planning 'Imminent' Attack On Jewish Schools (in Turkey)

IS Planning 'Imminent' Attack On Jewish Schools (in Turkey)

Source: Sky News

Terrorists from the so-called Islamic State have advanced plans to murder Jewish children in Turkey, targeting kindergartens and schools and youth centres, Sky News can reveal exclusively.

Information on what intelligence officials are describing as "an imminent" attack was obtained from six operatives from the "Caliphate" who were arrested in the southern city of Gaziantep over the last week.

The most likely target of an attack is Istanbul's synagogue in Beyoglu which also has a community centre and a school attached to it.

"In light of these circumstances, extraordinary security measures are being taken above and beyond the high alert level already in place by the Turkish police, as well as vigilance within the Jewish community," an intelligence source told Sky News.

Read more: http://news.sky.com/story/1668482/is-planning-imminent-attack-on-jewish-schools

Israel advises citizens to leave Turkey, citing Islamic State threat

Israel has urged its citizens in Turkey to leave "as soon as possible", citing the potential for jihadist attacks following this month's deadly bombing in Istanbul.

Three Israeli tourists and an Iranian were killed in the March 19 suicide attack, which was blamed on Islamic State (IS) militants.

The attack prompted the counter-terrorism bureau in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office to issue a generalised level three warning against travel to Turkey.

On Monday, the bureau upgraded the travel advisory to level two, signifying what it called a "high concrete threat" that IS or similar groups would attack Turkish tourist attractions.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-03-28/israel-advises-citizens-to-leave-turkey-citing-is-attack-risk/7280040

[Blue_Tires]

65. Ironic this happens the same week

Greenwald dusted off his evergreen 'thinkpiece' about western media never paying attention to the middle eastern victims of terrorism...