Pakistan detained more than 5,000 after Easter bombing killed 70: provincial minister

[March 29, 2016]    ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistani authorities detained more than 5,000 suspected militants in two days since a suicide bomber attacked crowds in a busy park in the eastern city of Lahore on Easter Day, killing at least 70 people, a provincial minister said on Tuesday.

Investigators later released all but 216 suspects, who had been referred for further investigation, said Rana Sanaullah, a state minister for Punjab province from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's ruling party.

He said the raids were carried out by a mixture of police, counter-terrorism and intelligence agents and confirmed that army and paramilitary forces would be used in future operations

"This operation will include all law enforcement agencies," Sanaullah said.

(Writing by Kay Johnson; Editing by Nick Macfie)

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