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Lahore assaults: funerals of victims held
May 29th
LAHORE : Victims of Friday's deadly attacks on two worship places of Ahmadi community were on Saturday buried separately after sect members cancelled a mass funeral for more than 80 people, fearing further attacks.
"We are not satisfied with the security arrangements. We have cancelled the mass funeral programme," Salim-u-din, a spokesman for Lahore's Ahmadi community told AFP by telephone.
"We have dug a total of 93 graves and burials are underway. More than 30 bodies have been buried until now," the spokesman said.
Burials were also underway in Chinab Nagar, a town 160 kilometres west of Lahore and a spiritual centre for the Ahmadi community in Pakistan.
Officials in Lahore insisted that the death toll from Friday's attacks on two Ahmadi mosques in the city was unchanged.
"As per my record, 82 people have died, but we are collecting fresh information from the hospitals," Amin Chupra, an administrative official told AFP by telephone.
The victims were killed when suspected militants wearing suicide vests burst into prayer halls at the Garhi Shahu and Model Town, firing guns, throwing grenades and taking hostages in Lahore's deadliest attack.
"We have been receiving threats for the last year," Qamar Suleman, a community leader told AFP at Garhi Shahu on Saturday.
The day after the attack the worship place was still scattered with broken glass and stained with blood and human flesh on its green carpet and walls.
"Three terrorists started spraying bullets, I can not explain that... in words," said Ishaq Ahmed, a community volunteer at Garhi Shahu, where dozens of people were killed.
"I believed I would be killed as they could see me at any time," said Ahmed, who hid at the mosque's main gate when the attack began.
In Chinab Nagar, markets and bazaars remained closed and people were seen going in groups to the main graveyard, an AFP photographer said.
Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2010
"We are not satisfied with the security arrangements. We have cancelled the mass funeral programme," Salim-u-din, a spokesman for Lahore's Ahmadi community told AFP by telephone.
"We have dug a total of 93 graves and burials are underway. More than 30 bodies have been buried until now," the spokesman said.
Burials were also underway in Chinab Nagar, a town 160 kilometres west of Lahore and a spiritual centre for the Ahmadi community in Pakistan.
Officials in Lahore insisted that the death toll from Friday's attacks on two Ahmadi mosques in the city was unchanged.
"As per my record, 82 people have died, but we are collecting fresh information from the hospitals," Amin Chupra, an administrative official told AFP by telephone.
The victims were killed when suspected militants wearing suicide vests burst into prayer halls at the Garhi Shahu and Model Town, firing guns, throwing grenades and taking hostages in Lahore's deadliest attack.
"We have been receiving threats for the last year," Qamar Suleman, a community leader told AFP at Garhi Shahu on Saturday.
The day after the attack the worship place was still scattered with broken glass and stained with blood and human flesh on its green carpet and walls.
"Three terrorists started spraying bullets, I can not explain that... in words," said Ishaq Ahmed, a community volunteer at Garhi Shahu, where dozens of people were killed.
"I believed I would be killed as they could see me at any time," said Ahmed, who hid at the mosque's main gate when the attack began.
In Chinab Nagar, markets and bazaars remained closed and people were seen going in groups to the main graveyard, an AFP photographer said.
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