Wagah Border suicide bombing: Death toll rises to 61; BSF put on high alert in Rajasthan
At least 61 people, including 11 women and three security personnel, were killed and nearly 200 injured when a suicide attacker detonated a powerful bomb at Wagah in Pakistan on Sunday, minutes after the popular flag- lowering ceremony at the main Indo-Pak land border crossing. "A large number of people were returning after watching Rangers flag ceremony at Wagah border when a suicide bomber blew himself up near one of the exit gates," Inspector General Police of Punjab Police Mushtaq Sukhera said. Security agencies arrested about 20 suspects from the Indo-Pak border area on Monday. The government has also announced Rs 500,000 to the kin of those killed and Rs75,000 for the kin of those injured. Read More
23:40 IST Monday, 3 November 2014
India-Pakistan spy agencies avert more deadly strike in Wagah border, bomber failed to reach 'ground zero'
Indian and Pakistani intelligence agencies both picked up plans for an imminent strike on their Wagah land border ahead of a suicide blast that killed 61 people on Sunday, and heightened security possibly averted a more devastating attack. Pakistani police on Monday said they had recovered a "huge" cache of weapons and explosives near the border, where thousands of Indians and Pakistanis gather at dusk every day to watch a flamboyant ritual parade by their security forces. Pakistani police spokeswoman Nabeela Ghazanfar said the latest death toll was 61 after the bomber detonated explosives in a car park 500 metres (yards) from the border gates and parade ground, just as hundreds of spectators were returning from the ceremony.
Pakistani and Indian agents, who are arch-rivals and do not share intelligence, gave conflicting accounts of whether the bomber's true intention was to cause casualties on the Indian side of the border and stir up tensions between the nuclear-armed nations. "It appears the bomber wanted to target ground zero where Pakistan and India border officials stand together to perform the flag ceremony but he could not enter due to tight security on the last gate," a Pakistani intelligence official told Reuters.
"Had he managed to reach the place, there would have been the worst scenario at both sides." If successful, such an attack would likely have severely tested ties between India and Pakistan, already frayed after weeks of shelling further along the border killed 17 people in October. Another source said a second suicide vest had been found in a field near the explosion site, suggesting there might have
been another bomber. "The target - the border facility that symbolises trade and interaction between India and Pakistan - is a tempting one for extremist Pakistani groups that want conflict with India and
oppose any detente or cooperation with New Delhi," said Bruce Riedel of the Brookings Institution, a former adviser on South Asia to US presidents. Read More
23:20 IST Monday, 3 November 2014
Wagah retreat ceremony held on small-scale on Indian side
The iconic flag-lowering and retreat ceremony at Wagah resumed partially on Monday on the Indian side, a day after a powerful terror blast killed 61 people across this border in Pakistan. The Border Security Force (BSF) responded to a late evening communication by Pakistan Rangers to carry out the ceremony after they had on Sunday expressed their desire to stop it for three days.
"We were told about 4pm by Pak Rangers that they would want to carry out the evening ceremony ruling out their yesterday's wish to stop the ceremony for three days. As it was late for us to carry out the full-fledged drill our troops conducted a scaled-down procedure without the public," BSF chief D K Pathak told PTI. "We will be holding the full ceremony from tomorrow evening with the audience in attendance," he said. Read More
18:20 IST Monday, 3 November 2014
Trade via Attari-Wagah land route comes to halt
Trade between India and Pakistan through the Attari-Wagah route has come to a halt in the wake of suicide attack at Wagah border, which claimed lives of 61 people in Pakistan. "Trade movement through trucks between India and Pakistan has stopped for now," a senior official of Customs department (Amritsar) told PTI today over phone.
The official further said that trade could remain in suspended mode for a few days more if Pakistan expresses inability to restart the truck movement. "Efforts are being made to restore trade as early as possible from our side," the official said adding that extra checks are being introduced here in the wake of blast. "We are cautious and we are on high alert," he added. Read More
14:07 IST Monday, 3 November 2014
Border Security Force put on high alert in Rajasthan after Wagah blast
High alert has been sounded on the border area here by BSF in the wake of the blast near Wagah border in Pakistan. "BSF personnel have been put on high alert after the blast yesterday. Patrolling along the border areas has been intensified," BSF DIG, Ravi Gandhi said on Monday. He said number of BSF personnel at some posts have been increased. Read more
12:44 IST Monday, 3 November 2014
Death toll rises to 61; 20 suspects arrested from Indo-Pak border
The death toll in the horrific suicide attack that shook Pakistan minutes after the popular flag-lowering ceremony at Wagah climbed to 61 on Monday, even as security agencies arrested about 20 suspects from the Indo-Pak border area. Ten women, eight children and three security personnel were among the 61 people who have died in the attack that took place yesterday when a suicide attacker detonated a powerful bomb at Wagah. Over 100 people were injured in the incident and are being treated in different Lahore's hospitals where emergency has been declared. Read more
9:25 IST Monday, 3 November 2014
Wagah border blast: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif expressed 'grief and sorrow'
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif expressed "grief and sorrow" and condemned the blast. He ordered authorities to provide best medical assistance to the injured. Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif expressed the government's resolve to fight terrorism in the country. In a statement, he said the terrorists cannot dent the resolve of the nation to fight terrorism, Radio Pakistan reported. The government has also announced Rs 500,000 to the kin of those killed and Rs75,000 for the kin of those injured. Read more
12:55 IST Monday, 3 November 2014
High alert issued along Indo-Pak border after Wagah blast
A high alert has been issued along the Attari border area here following the blast today at Wagah on the Pakistan side even as BSF officials said that the flag-lowering ceremony for the day on the Indian side, which attracts a lot of visitors, was over by the time the attack occurred. At least 55 people, including 11 women and three security personnel, were killed and nearly 200 injured when a suicide attacker detonated a powerful bomb at Wagah in Pakistan today, just after the popular flag-lowering ceremony at the main Indo-Pak land border crossing. Read more
12:12 IST Monday, 3 November 2014
No exchange of sweets between India and Pakistan at Wagah border on Eid as tensions prevail
With tension prevailing on the border, the traditional exchange of sweets between the troops of India and Pakistan along the Wagah border in Punjab on Eid has been called off. Official sources said during a late evening flag meeting between the sector commanders of the Border Security Force and Pakistan Rangers on Sunday, the other side refused to fix a proper time for the ceremony to be held on Monday. "The Pakistan side refused the exchange of sweets on Eid on Monday. They cited no reasons but it is understood that the prevailing tension along Jammu and Kashmir border due to unprovoked firing incidents from the other side is the reason," the sources said. Read more
11:29IST Sunday, 2 November 2014
Wagah border attack in Pakistan a 'dastardly act of terrorism': PM Narendra Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday night strongly condemned a suicide attack on Wagah border in Pakistan, terming it as a "shocking" and "a dastardly act of terrorism". He expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and sent prayers for the injured. "Terror attack in Pakistan near Wagah border is shocking," Modi tweeted. "I strongly condemn such a dastardly act of terrorism," he added. Read more
8:12 IST Sunday, 2 November 2014
Wagah blast: Indian side is completely safe, says BSF Inspector General Ashok Kumar
Border Security Force (BSF) Inspector General Ashok Kumar on Sunday confirmed that a blast took place on the Pakistan side of the Wagah border, adding that India, though on high alert, is 'completely safe'. "A blast occurred on the Pakistani side of Wagah at around 6.15 pm on Sunday, around 500 metres away from the border. Some people are saying that it was a cylinder blast but it could also be an attack. Our side is completely safe and as a precautionary measure, we have doubled the number of BSF guards," Kumar told ANI. Read more
With agency inputs
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