Lahore: 3 women among 13 killed in suicide attack

Three women among 13 killed while 60 others injured as a suicide bomber struck outside an intelligence office in Block K, Model Town, Lahore. DCO Sajjad Bhutta confirmed that it was a suicide attack, and added that the intelligence office was targeted. The intelligence office building got completely damaged, while a 15 feet wide and 7 feet deep crater has been emerged. The blast was so powerful that its bang was heard miles away from the site, whereas many cars parked over there damaged and glasses of nearby building also got shattered. Smoke engulfed the whole area. According to sources, the adjacent Dr Israr Ahmed’s mosque and academy also damaged. Rescue efforts have been kicked off and ambulances rushed the scene and the injured are being shifted to hospitals. Security forces threw cordon around the area. Talking to media, DCO Bhutta said that the toll could not be ascertained, adding that the injured are being retrieved from the rubble. He said that around 70 people were present at the blast site, while 600kg explosives were used in the incident. It merits to mention that two years ago on March, 11 2008, a suicide bomber struck the same Model Town besides two other places in the city. President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani strongly condemned the incident. Meanwhile, Interior Minister Rehman Malik sought report from IG Punjab in this regard.