Lahore Johar Town blast: CTD conducts raids in Punjab's cities

• CTD arrests suspicious persons in relation to Johar Town blast.
• CTD, intelligence agencies complete evidence collection from Johar Town blast site. 
• Three persons were killed, over 20 injured on Wednesday after a vehicle laden with more than 30kgs of explosives, blew up at Johar Town. 

LAHORE: The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) Thursday conducted raids across different cities of Punjab in connection with the Johar Town blast. 

Read more: Three dead, 24 injured in Lahore's Johar Town blast

Three people were killed and scores injured when a vehicle laden with explosives blew up in the city's Johar Town near Hafiz Saeed's residence. Police said militants had targeted police in the explosion. 

CTD and intelligence agencies have collected the evidence from the crime scene, said sources, adding that ball bearings, pieces of iron and the vehicle's parts have been preserved. 

Investigative agencies have also started geo-fencing the area to help with the blast probe, confirmed sources. 

CTD has taken into custody several suspicious persons after yesterday's blast, added sources. 

Three killed, 21 injured in Lahore's Johar Town blast

A preliminary report of a probe by investigative agencies was submitted to Inspector General Punjab Inam Ghani, sources told Geo News Wednesday.

The report will be presented to Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar shortly, sources had added.

More than 30kg of explosives were used in the blast, according to the initial report, which adds that "foreign-made materials" were used.

Ball bearings, nails and other explosives were among the objects used in the bomb.

The initial report states that the material had been planted onto a car and the device was detonated remotely.

A 3-foot deep and 8-foot wide crater has formed at the site of the blast, the report had also said.

The blast had caused damage within a ​​100-square-foot radius.

Was Hafiz Saeed the target?

IGP Ghani has surmised that police had been targeted in the attack. While speaking to the media shortly after the blast, he had advised people to not pay any heed to rumours related to the blast.

The IGP had the media that the CTD is probing the incident and a detailed report will be shared about the nature of the blast and the material used.

"We are not sure what caused the explosion or whether it was a planted device [that caused the explosion], or a suicide blast," he had said at the time.

In response to a question whether Hafiz Saeed — the leader of the outlawed Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) was the target — Ghani had said: "There is a police picket near the house of a high value target, which is why the vehicle could not have gone near the house." This is why he believes the police were targeted, reported Geo News.

He did not provide any further information on the high value target.

"You should be thankful to the police," he had said.

Ghani vowed to arrest those behind the terrorist act.