Pakistan: Deadly blast in Lahore July 24

Event

At least 15 people were killed and dozens others injured in a blast in Lahore (Punjab province) on Monday, July 24. The blast reportedly occurred near the Arfa Karim IT Tower on Ferozepur Road in Lahore’s Sabzi Mandi area. Security forces have cordoned off the area. The nature of the explosion has not yet been confirmed, although a suicide bombing is suspected; the death toll may rise in the coming hours.

Context

Extremist Islamist groups continue to pose a threat throughout the country despite continued army offensives to push them from their northwestern strongholds near the Afghan border. Pakistan suffered a number of deadly attacks earlier in the year, notably in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), Peshawar, and Lahore. A recent suicide bombing claimed by Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) killed three security personnel at a checkpoint in Peshawar (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, near the Afghan border) on July 17. This attack followed an announcement made by the government on July 16 regarding the launch of a ground and air counter-terrorist offensive in the Khyber tribal agency of the FATA.

Advice

Individuals present in Lahore are advised to avoid the area of the blast and abide by all instructions issued by the authorities.

Due to the high threat of terrorism (as well as kidnapping and sectarian violence), individuals present in Pakistan are advised to report any suspicious objects or behavior to the relevant authorities. To reduce the risk of kidnapping, individuals should avoid falling into daily routines (e.g. vary the times and routes of travel) to avoid becoming a predictable and vulnerable target. Some Western governments advise their citizens against travel to Pakistan, where foreign nationals, in particular Westerners, may be directly targeted.