NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned on Sunday a “shocking” suicide bomb blast at the main Pakistan-India border crossing which killed scores of people.

“Terror attack in Pakistan near Wagah border is shocking. I strongly condemn such a dastardly act of terrorism,” he said on his Twitter account. “My condolences to the families of the deceased. Prayers with the injured.”

India has stepped up security along its side of the border in the wake of the attack near Lahore which tore through crowds of spectators leaving after a daily ceremony to close the frontier.

The explosion came at Wagah border gate after the “flag-lowering” ceremony, a display of military pageantry which attracts thousands of spectators every day on both sides of the border, and is popular with foreign tourists.

R.P.S Jaswal, deputy inspector general of India’s Border Security Force which guards Wagah, said security has been increased although “our side is secure”.

“A red alert has been issued keeping in view the blast across the border in...Pakistan,” Jaswal told AFP by phone from his base near the Indian city of Amritsar.

Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2014