Pakistan has detained more than 200 people and questioned thousands more as authorities hunt down the culprits behind the Easter Sunday attack in Lahore which killed 73 people, including children, the Punjab provincial law minister said.
“More than 5,000 people were searched and interrogated and most of them were allowed to go, but some 216 have been apprehended for further investigations,” Rana Sanaullah told reporters in Lahore.
Hundreds were injured when explosives packed with ball bearings ripped through crowds near a children’s play area in the park.
The bombing has been claimed by the Jamaat-ul-Ahrar faction of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
The attack targeted Christians who were celebrating Easter.
Sanaullah said 56 intelligence operations had been carried out jointly by police, paramilitary, troops and intelligence agents in the last 24 hours in Punjab.
More were being undertaken in all districts of Pakistan’s wealthiest province “against sectarian militants and extremists”, he said.
Pakistan’s prime minister and powerful military chief have both vowed to bring those behind the attack to justice.
