Eight killed, 21 injured in bomb attack in Lahore’s Defence

At least eight people were killed and 21 others injured after a blast ripped through an under-construction building in Lahore’s Defence Z block area on Thursday, officials said.

“It was a bomb attack,” Nayab Haider, a spokesperson for the Punjab police said. Rescue services spokesperson Deeba Shehnaz provided the casualty toll.

Television footage showed a smouldering building and several crumpled cars with their windows blown out.

The explosion took place in the particularly affluent Defence Housing Authority suburb of the city, replete with upscale boutiques and cafes as well as an academy for the international hair salon Toni & Guy.
Another blast was heard in Lahore’s Gulberg area. The second blast reportedly occurred outside a restaurant. However, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah, as well as Rescue 1122 officials denied reports of a second blast in Lahore’s Gulberg area.

“Lahore General Hospital has received four bodies, while four patients of the 23 admitted in the hospital, are in critical condition”, said Chief Minister Health Khwaja Salman Rafique.

A few days earlier the same market was evacuated by law enforcement agencies after a bomb threat.

A day earlier, Pakistan’s military announced the launch of a new nationwide military offensive, codenamed Radd-ul-Fasaad (suppressing mischief), with an aim to eliminate remnants of terrorists, following a sharp spike in terrorist attacks.