A Pakistani man wounded in a suicide bomb attack, reacts to the camera after received first aid in hospital in Wagah border, near Lahore
A Pakistani man wounded in a suicide bomb attack, reacts to the camera after received first aid in hospital in Wagah border, near Lahore November 2, 2014. At least 45 people were killed on Sunday when a suicide bomber blew himself up on the Pakistani-Indian border, police said, just after a daily ceremony when troops from both sides simultaneously lower the two nations' flags. REUTERS/Mani Rana

A suicide bomber killed at least 55 people near the India-Pakistan border last Sunday, November 2. The responsibility of the attack has been claimed by the Pakistani Taliban.

The Pakistani Taliban said that the bombing was a response to the actions of the Pakistani army against the militant organisation in the tribal areas of the country. Reuters reported that the suicide bomber was at least 500 meters from the India border when the explosion took place. The suicide bomber was apparently inside a car parked on the Pakistani side of the border. Nobody from the Indian army was hurt during the explosion. According to a Pakistani intelligence source, there were scattered bodies and smashed cars with injured children, women and men all around.

Pakistani police started the investigation of the suicide attack that had caused the injury of at least 200 people. The Hindu reported that the death toll had reached 55. Even though India often complains against Pakistan for sponsoring jihadist activities in India, the suicide bombing apparently had nothing to do with Pakistan's political tension with India as it was the Taliban that claimed the responsibility of the attack. Gilamn Mehsud, a senior commander from the Pakistan Taliban, confirmed the claim.

Three personnel from the Pakistan Rangers were killed in the attack. The suicide bomb attack took place shortly after a large number of people had gathered to watch the flag-lowering ceremony at the Wagah border. Both India and Pakistan lower their national flags just before the sunset as a gesture. The Beating Retreat ceremony is performed on a daily basis by the border security forces both in Indian and in Pakistan since 1959.

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi have condemned the attack. Modi earlier tweeted that the terror attack near the Wagah border was shocking. "I strongly condemn such a dastardly act of terrorism," he tweeted. Prominent Pakistani politician and legendary cricketer Imran Khan also condemned the "act of terror." He tweeted that he was "shocked and saddened" by the attack that had killed innocent people including women and children.

BSF Chief DK Singh said that Pakistan had requested not to hold the flag-lowering ceremony for three days starting from Monday, November 3.

Contact the writer: s.mukhopadhyay@ibtimes.com.au