Pakistan border bombing

This item appears on page 16 of the December 2014 issue.

At least 55 people were killed and more than a hundred were injured by a suicide bomber on the Pakistani side of the Wagah border crossing with India after the evening border-closing ceremony on Nov. 2. The blast occurred outside a nearby restaurant. Three Pakistani terrorist organizations, including the Taliban, have each claimed responsibility for the attack. 

Located in the town of Wagah, situated between Lahore, Pakistan, and Amritsar, India, the Wagah crossing is the only road crossing between the two nations. 

Each day, hundreds of people on both sides of the border visit to witness the highly elaborate and colorful ceremony performed at 5 p.m. by the Indian and Pakistani border guards. During the ceremony, border guards dressed in flamboyant uniforms march and posture aggressively toward each other as they lower their nations’ flags and close the gates. 

The military ceremony proceeded as scheduled on Nov. 3.