The security agencies investigating the Data Darbar bombing traced the alleged suicide bomber to the locality. Agencies said that they identified the motorcycle rickshaw which transported the bomber to the site.
The suspect took the rickshaw from near the Railway Station. The driver approached the bomber as the former came from the Garhi Shahu area.
The law enforcement agencies said they had shifted their focus to three major terrorist networks of the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Punjab to uncover handlers/facilitators of the attack.
A senior officer told Dawn that investigation teams had been set up to locate three offshoots of the Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) and their facilitators.
He said the major focus was on Hizbul Ahrar, which had claimed responsibility for sending the teenage suicide bomber to Data Darbar on Wednesday.
12 people were killed in Wednesday morning’s blast outside Lahore’s Data Darbar, while 30 others were injured. Officials described it as a suicide bombing targeting an Elite Force van.
The explosion occurred at 8:45 am outside Data Darbar’s Gate No 2, which is the entry point for female devotees. Police believe the explosion was carried out by a suicide bomber, and 7kg explosive material was used.
The impact of the blast shattered windows of nearby buildings and vehicles. The shrine was immediately evacuated, and devotees moved out through exit gates away from the blast site.