A Course in Death and Destruction
By Farieha Aziz | News & Politics | Sports | Published 15 years ago
2008
January 10: Twenty-four people were killed and 73 others injured when a suicide bomber blew himself up at a police contingent at GPO Chowk near the Lahore High Court. Those killed were mostly policemen, deployed for a lawyers’ protest march scheduled for the day.
March 4: Four navy employees were killed and 21 others injured when two suicide bombers blew themselves up at the Navy War College on Mall Road in Lahore. The explosions triggered a third blast, bursting a car’s gas cylinder, causing damage to the adjacent National Accountability Bureau’s building.
March 11: Twenty-six people were killed and 175 others injured when suicide bombers detonated two explosives-laden trucks at the FIA building and an advertising agency. Several children studying in nearby Christian missionary schools were also injured.
August 13: Eight people were killed and over 20 injured when a suicide bomber blew himself up near a police station on the eve of the country’s 61st birthday.
October 7: Seven people were injured by three low-intensity bomb explosions at juice shops in Lahore’s market area near Garhi Shahu Chowk. The explosions took place within 15-30 minutes of each other.
November 22: Three low-intensity bombs exploded at the Punjabi Complex, opposite the Al-Hamra Cultural Complex. Two explosions took place in the basement of the Punjabi complex, where the bombs were planted, while the third took place on the main road in front of the
Al-Hamra Complex. One teenager was injured in the explosions.
2009
January 9: Five low-intensity bombs hit two theatres in Lahore. The first four explosions took place at the Al-Falah Theatre on Mall Road and the fifth at the Tamseel Theatre on Ferozpur Road. No casualties were reported, as the theatres were closed for the month of Moharram.
March 3: Five police officials were killed and seven players and officials injured as the Sri Lankan cricket team’s bus came under fire by unidentified men at Liberty Chowk. The cricket team was on its way to Gaddafi Stadium, where it was playing the second Test match of the series.
This article appears as a box within Cricket’s Darkest Hour.
Farieha Aziz is a Karachi-based journalist and teacher. She joined Newsline in 2007, rising to assistant editor. Farieha was awarded the APNS award for Best Investigative Report (Business/Economic) for the year 2007-2008. She is a co-founder and Director at Bolo Bhi, an advocacy forum of Digital Rights.