LAHORE: Panic gripped Lahore as five more blasts rocked the city within minutes of each other here Friday evening following a pair of suicide attacks that killed at least 40 people and wounded 95 others earlier today, ARY NEWS reported.
The five blasts in the evening hit Iqbal Town area of the city within an hour, leaving at least two people injured, police and rescue officials said.
Earlier in the day, a pair of suicide bombers targeting army vehicles detonated explosives within seconds of each other, killing at least 40 people in A R Bazar and wounding nearly 100.
In evening, the first blast occurred at around 08:40 p.m. outside a home, in the backyard of a police station at Kashmir Block of Iqbal Town. The blast was apparently caused by powerful firecrackers that rocked the area, creating panic and fear among the masses.
The explosion was as powerful as it shattered the windowpanes of nearby houses and shops, eyewitnesses said. A man was reportedly injured in the blast and was rushed to nearby Shiekh Zaid Hospital.
The second explosion was occurred just few blocks away from the first blast site at around 9:15 p.m. The blast hit a Mehran car parked outside the residence of a Pakistan Air Force’s official.
The car was apparently targeted with a hand grenade or firecracker that severely damaged the vehicle, police officials who hurriedly rushed the scene told ARY NEWS. One man was injured in the attack who was also rushed to the nearby medical facility.
The first two blasts were followed by three more explosions occurred in the same area within minutes of each other and were triggered by the same nature of firecrackers, police officials said.
The third blast hit Edhi relief center in the area at around 9:30 p.m. followed by the fourth one occurred in a nearby street after ten-minute-interval, the channel added.
The fifth explosion hit the Karim Block, a commercial area of Iqbal Town unlike the previous ones which rocked the residential blocks of the town. Police have cordoned off all the five blasts sites and investigations have been launched.
Bomb Disposal Squad’s officials said less amount of explosives were used in all the five blasts, which were apparently aimed at creating fear and panic instead of damaging installations and causing human loss. Police also detained a suspect from the third blast’s site, the channel added.
Police contingents from around the city have been called in Iqbal Town while the area SP has asked the residents not to leave their houses. Heavy traffic jam is also being witnessed at all the major arteries leading to the town as the roads have been blocked for security reasons.
Lahore witnesses terror with 5 more blasts,3/12/2010 10:33:45 PM
