LAHORE - This is not for the first time that terrorism has tested the courage and resilience of “Zinda Dilan-e-Lahore [high-spirited people of Lahore]”.
The city of nearly 10 million people, who are known for their hospitality and cheerfulness, has been repeatedly attacked, resulting in lives of hundreds of civilians and personnel of law enforcement agencies. But the Lahorities have always demonstrated their insuperable ability to recover soon and move on without being terrorised.
The secret of their unbeatable buoyancy lies in their unflinching belief in social and collective life. Despite all kinds of cultural, social and religious divisions, they are always one at times of trial and tribulation and there’s no limit to their determination and valour.
Yesterday’s blast at Charing Cross was no different in terms of the demonstration of this unity, determination and selflessness as people braved the possibility of second strike to help the injured move to various city hospitals for treatment.
Here’s the list of the major terrorist hits this city has faced since 2003.
September 25, 2003: Bomb blasts near Ichra and Minar-i-Pakistan killed six and hurt scores of people.
October 10, 2004: An explosion by a suicide bomber at a Shia mosque killed at least four people and left eight people injured.
January 10, 2008: 24 people were killed and 73 injured in a suicide attack outside Lahore High Court. While in same year two powerful suicide bombings at Pakistan’s Navy War College killed at least four people and injured 16.
May 27, 2009: Attack on police headquarters killed at least 35 people and injured 250.
March 8, 2010: A suicide bomber hit Federal Investigation Agency’s office in the Model Town and killed 13 people and injured 90 others.
March 12, 2010: Two men wearing suicide vests carrying explosives blew themselves near the Royal Artillery (RA) Bazaar, wounding about 100 people mostly civilians and leaving 59 dead.
January 25, 2011: At least 13 people were killed while 70 were injured in a suicide bomb explosion in a mourning procession of Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS) at Kerbala Gamay Shah.
July 12, 2012: Tehrik-i-Taliban terrorists stormed a police academy in wee hours killing nine police cadets.
August 1, 2012: Two bomb explosions in the fruit market area of Lahore injured 20 people. July 7, 2013: A blast in a Food Street Anarkali killed three people and injured dozens.
October 10, 2013: A blast took place outside a restaurant in Anarkali, killing one person and injuring 16 others.
November 2, 2014: A suicide bombing took place at Wagah border targeting daily flag hoisting ceremony on Pakistan side, The attack was claimed by three rival militant groups and killed 60 people.
February 17, 2015: At least eight people were killed in a blast near Police Lines in Qila Gujar Singh area and 19 were left injured.
March 15, 2015: Suicide bombers belonging to the terror outfit Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan targeted two churches in the Christian neighborhood of Youhanabad. The attack was carried out as worshippers were gathering for Sunday mass. At least 14 people were killed in the blasts and another 70 were reported injured.
March 27, 2016: Easter Sunday of Christian community at least 75 people were killed and over 340 injured in a suicide bombing that hit the main entrance of Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park. Of 75 dead, 14 were identified as Christians and the rest (61) as Muslims. Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a group affiliated with the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack.
