LAHORE: The Jamaatul Ahrar, a splinter group of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), claimed on Sunday responsibility for the Wagah suicide attack, refuting the claim earlier made by the militant Jundullah group.

In a Twitter message, the Jamaatul Ahrar claimed that the attack was a warning for both Pakistan and India and threatened that such incidents could also take place across the border.

The group said the explosion had been carried out by its member Hafiz Hanifullah and a video showing him would be released soon. It said some other organisations were wrongly claiming responsibility for the attack.

It also asked the media to refrain from highlighting Jundullah which, it said, was not a group of Iranian militants but, in fact, a fake outfit. It would soon be decided whose backbone had been broken, the message added.

According to Reuters, a TTP leader claiming responsibility for the attack said it had been carried out in response to the army’s operation against militants in tribal areas.

Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2014