Bombing near Pakistan home of anti-India militant kills three

A powerful car bomb went off near the residence of a jailed anti-India militant leader in the eastern city of Lahore on Wednesday, killing at least three people and wounding 15 others, police and rescue officials said.

The blast happened in the Johar Town neighborhood, provincial police chief Inam Ghani told reporters. He said officers were still trying to determine whether it was a suicide bombing or the bomb was remotely detonated.

For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.

Ghani said some police officers were also among the wounded persons.

He confirmed that the bombing happened near the residence of anti-India militant leader Hafiz Seed, who has been designated a terrorist by the US Justice Department and has a $10 million bounty on his head.

Saeed is the founder of the outlawed Lashkar-e-Taiba group, which was blamed for the 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people.

Lashkar-e-Taiba was active for years mainly in Kashmir, which is split between Pakistan and India and is claimed by both in its entirety.

TV footage showed badly damaged homes, and many residents said it was a bomb attack. Doctors say some of the wounded were in critical condition.

Ghani said police were guarding Saeed’s house at the time of the attack.

Last year, Pakistan sentenced Saeed to 15 years in jail in a terror-financing case, but he was never charged in connection with the Mumbai attacks.

Pakistan and India have a history of bitter relations and they have fought two of their three wars over Kashmir since gaining independence in 1947.

Read more:

Pakistan allows AstraZeneca COVID-19 shot for under 40s to help its expatriates

COVID-19 cases, deaths at three-month low in Pakistan

Kashmir leaders to urge India’s Modi to restore region’s autonomy