Raiwind blast: Funeral prayers of martyred policemen offered in Lahore

LAHORE: The funeral prayers of five police officials martyred in a suicide attack in Raiwind were offered Thursday morning.

At least five police personnel and four citizens were martyred Wednesday evening in a suicide attack in the Raiwind area on the outskirts of Lahore, officials said. Another injured policeman, Hawaldar Naeem, passed away Thursday taking the death toll to 10, according to hospital sources.

The funeral prayers, which were held at Qila Gujjar Singh Police Lines, were attended by Chief Minister Punjab Shehbaz Sharif, Governor Punjab Rafique Rajwana, Corps Commander Lahore Lieutenant General Amir Riaz, and DG Rangers Punjab Major General Azhar Naveed Hayat.

The martyred officials have been identified as Muhammad Saeed, Aslam, Manzoor, Tanveer and Saeed.

The bodies will be taken to their native areas for burial later today.

'Police personnel target of attack'

Speaking about the incident, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said that the initial probe has revealed that police personnel were the target of the terrorists.

Moreover, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal said that cowardly attacks of terrorism won't deter national projects. 

"A huge attack was prevented due to adequate security arrangements," he remarked, adding that security institutions are always on alert. 

The enemy is watching that lights are being restored in Pakistan, he said.  

Senior police official, Deputy Inspector General Operations Dr Haider Ashraf, had said yesterday that police personnel appeared to be the target of the attack as the explosion took place close to a police check-post and near the vehicle of a deputy superintendent.

At least nine, including five policemen martyred in Raiwind blast

Dozens, including 13 policemen, injured in suspected suicide attack targeting law enforcers

DIG Ashraf said the bomb exploded when police were changing guards at the checkpoint.

It appears to be a suicide attack, he said, adding that body parts had been recovered from the site of the blast. Police officials added that a motorcycle near the blast site had also been completely destroyed.

A case has been registered and further investigation is under way. 

This was the first explosion targeting the provincial capital since the start of 2018. Lahore underwent a series of terrorist attacks last year in which more than 60 people were killed.