Bomb kills 13, injures 85 during a pharmaceutical related protest in Lahore, Pakistan

At least 13 people were killed and 85 injured in a suicidal bombing attack Monday evening around 6pm outside the Punjab Assembly in Lahore during a protest, reported Pakistani Dawn citing police officials.

Reportedly, a large group of chemists and pharmaceutical manufacturers were protesting a government crackdown against the sale of illegal drugs.

Inspector General of Police (IG) Punjab Mushtaq Ahmad Sukhera confirmed that six police officials were among the dead, including two senior officers, the news portal reported.

The banned organisation “The Jamat-ul-Ahrar” related to Pakistani Taliban were reported to have claimed responsibility for the attack.

Up to 400 people had attended the protest, according to an AFP reporter who was on the scene when the explosion occurred, the Dawn writes.

Dawn showed a photographed notification issued by the National Counterterrorism Authority (NACTA) on February 7, which had a warning of a possible terrorist attack in Lahore.