WAGAH: Indian and Pakistani intelligence agencies both picked up plans for an imminent strike on their Wagah land border ahead of a suicide blast that killed 57 people on Sunday, and heightened security, possibly averting a more devastating attack.
Pakistani police on Monday said they had recovered a ‘huge’ cache of weapons and explosives near the border, where thousands of Indians and Pakistanis gather at dusk every day to watch a flamboyant ritual parade by their security forces.
Pakistani police spokeswoman said the latest death toll was 61 after the bomber detonated explosives in a car park 500 metres (yards) from the border gates and parade ground.
Pakistani and Indian agents gave conflicting accounts of whether the bomber’s true intention was to cause casualties on the Indian side of the border and stir up tensions between the nuclear-armed nations.