Pakistan mourns after Easter bombing kills at least 70
Three days of official mourning began in Pakistan Monday following a brazen attack on the city of Lahore. At least 70 people are dead, and more than 300 are injured, after a suicide bomber targeted a busy park on Sunday.
"It was Easter Sunday. It was also a very beautiful day. In a few days the [summer] heat is going to start, so everyone was out," Ahmed Rashid tells As it Happens host Carol Off. Rashid is a journalist and the author of numerous books, including Pakistan on the Brink.
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"This is one of the groups that have been driven into Afghanistan where they've got shelter from the Afghan Taliban. They've been attacking, particularly, soft targets in Pakistan itself ... And, the Pakistani officials have not been able to eliminate them so far."
In response to Sunday's attack, Pakistan has announced that it will launch a paramilitary operation across the province of Punjab.
"This is a very clear signal that there are acute divisions between the military and the civilian government. The civilian government has been trying to convince the military that civil forces — that is the police and civilian intelligence agencies — can do the job. Now, clearly, they can't," says Rashid.
To hear more take a listen to our full interview.
