Punjab Govt. warned in advance regarding terror threat to minorities: Malik

LAHORE - Political bickering has started over the deadly terror attack on two mosques in Lahore, in which over 70 people were killed, with Interior Minister Rehman Malik saying that the Punjab government was already informed about militants’ plans to target minorities in the province.

Malik said that the provincial government was given specific intelligence inputs that militants may target religious places and other important installations in Lahore.

Over 70 people were killed, including nine security personnel, and more than 100 injured when several heavily armed gunmen struck two mosques belonging to the Ahmadiya community in Lahore on Friday (May 28). More than a thousand people were said to be inside the worship place at the time of the attack.

The hostage drama ended after an intense three hour-long gun battle between the security forces and the attackers. Media reports said that at least two suicide attackers were nabbed alive in the commando operation.

Later, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said that the suspected terrorist, who was arrested from the Model Town mosque, hails from Rahim Yar Khan.

Speaking during a television programme, Sanaullah said the militant studied at a Karachi-based Madrassa (Islamic seminary).

“The mastermind dropped two of the five attackers in Model Town and left remaining three in Garhi Shahu,” The News quoted Sanaullah, as saying.(ANI)