Security forces round up 5,000 suspects in wake of Easter Sunday terror attack

More than 5,000 people have been arrested following Sunday’s suicide bombing in Pakistan in which more than 70 people died. The news given by a provincial minister comes after Taliban militants behind the Easter attack sent a taunting tweet to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif saying war has “reached his doorstep”. The tweet was received as parks in the eastern city of Lahore were reopened amid tight security, although the Gulshan-i-Iqbal Park where the attack targeting Christians took place is still closed. Hundreds of people - many of them children - were injured when the bombs went off near a children’s play area in the park.

Let Nawaz Sharif know that this war has now come to the threshold of his home. The winners of this war will, God willing, be the righteous mujahideen.

Ehsanullah Ehsan, spokesman for Jamaat-ur-Ahrar

Investigators were keeping 216 suspects in custody pending further inquiries, said Rana Sanaullah, a state minister for Punjab province from Mr Sharif’s ruling party. He said at least 160 raids were carried out by a mixture of police, counter-terrorism and intelligence agents and confirmed that army and paramilitary forces would be used in future operations. Details of the sweeping raids - aimed at anyone suspected of Islamist extremism - came as the Taliban faction claiming responsibility for the attack issued a new threat on Tuesday, singling out the media.

I am here to renew a pledge that we are keeping count of every drop of blood of our martyrs. This account is being settled, and we will not rest till it is paid.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s TV address

Lahore arrests