72 people including 29 children were killed, 300 injured in a suicide attack in Gulshan-i-Iqbal Park

At least 72 people including 29 children  were killed in a suicide attack in Gulshan-i-Iqbal Park of Iqbal Town on Sunday evening, rescue sources said. Hospital sources added that over 300 were injured.

The attack was claimed by the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan Jamaatul Ahrar.

Iqbal Town Superintendent Police Dr Muhammad Iqbal confirmed this was a suicide attack that took place at a children's park, where a large number of families, especially women and children, were present.

The area is a renowned residential area of Lahore. The blast was just outside the exit gate and a few feet (metres) away from the children's swings.

DCO Captain (Retd) Muhammad Usman said the head of the suicide bomber was recovered. Ball bearings were also found at the site.

A child is rushed from the blast site - screen grab

Eye witnesses said there were pools of blood and scattered body parts spread across the site of the attack.

"We took the injured to hospitals on rickshaws and taxis," one eye witness said.

He added that the crowd was "unusually large" because of Easter.

"The roads were also jammed and queues of vehicles could be seen till Moon Market."

Screen grab from outside the hospital

'No security'

Many eyewitnesses said there was no security present in and around the park.

An eye witness, talking to DawnNews, said:

"The park is huge and has many entrance gates. There were almost no security personnel present there."

A Rescue 1122 spokesman confirmed that an emergency call was received at around 6:44pm and that over 20 ambulances had been sent to the site at the time.