TTP denies hand in twin suicide attacks on Lahore shrine

ISLAMABAD - The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has denied involvement in Thursday’s twin suicide attack on Lahore’s Hazrat Data Gunj Bukhsh shrine, in which 43 people were killed and over 175 injured.

Azam Tariq, as self-proclaimed spokesperson of the TTP told a foreign news agency from an undisclosed location that the brutal strike was a conspiracy of foreign secret agencies.

“We are not responsible for these attacks, this is a conspiracy by foreign secret agencies, you know we do not attack public places,” The News quoted Tariq, as saying.

“We condemn this brutal act. Our target is very clear and we only attack police, army and other security personnel,” he added.

So far, no terror organisation has claimed responsibility for the attack on the Sufi saint’s shrine.

Meanwhile, Lahore police has claimed identifying one of the two suicide bombers who blew themselves up in the shrine, which was packed with people.

The bomber, identified as Usman Yaseen, is said to be a resident of Hadyara Barki area of Lahore.

CCTV footage showed some of the priests of the shrine trying to nab Usman, but he succeeded in triggering the blast killing three people in the basement.

Minutes later, taking advantage of the chaos, the second bomber blew himself causing maximum damage. (ANI)