Quetta Youm-al-Quds rally attacked, Geo News correspondent injured

QUETTA: A blast in Youm-al-Quds rally at Meezan chowk in Quetta has injured many while casualties were feared, Geo News reported.

Geo News cameraman Imran Mukhtar has also been injured, correspondent Salman Ashraf told anchorperson.

Correspondent also said that several casualties were feared because of high intensity blast. Rescue teams have reached the spot and the injured were being shifted to the hospitals.

Police have earlier tried to stop the rally at an earlier point citing security concerns but the participants refused to stop there.

LAHORE: Eighteen people were killed and at least 157 others injured, some of them critically, in three blasts that ripped through a procession on the occasion of Yaum-e-Ali in Lahore on Wednesday.

DCO Lahore confirmed 18 people’s death while at least 157 , including women and children were shifted to hospitals. Twenty-five to 30 of the injured are said to be in serious condition.

A police constable was also killed in the blasts, CCPO Lahore said.

A banned organization Lashkar-e-Jhangvi Al-Almi claimed responsibility of the deadly blasts.

The first blast that occurred in the middle of the procession at Karbala Gaame Shah was followed within minutes by two high intensity suicide blasts at Bhaati Chowk, police sources confirmed.

Commissioner Lahore said that the second and third blasts were suicidal and that a head of one of the suicide bombers has been recovered.

Relief and rescue efforts kick started after blasts and dozens of injured, including women and children were shifted to different medical facilities including Meo Hospital.

Later, the participants of the procession and enraged people pelted police vehicles with stones and damaged public property. A TV footage showed a motor cycle and furniture burning with rising flames.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani strongly condemned the blasts and ordered the concerned authorities to carry out investigation.

PESHAWAR: A suicide bomber killed Commandant Frontier Constabulary Siffwat Ghayur and at least four FC personnel in Peshawar’s Saddar area on Wednesday, Geo News reported.

According to sources the suicide bomber hit the vehicle of FC Commandant when he was leaving the office for home.

FC Cantonment, confirming the death of Siffwat Ghayur, said that four guards accompanying him were also killed in the attack.

The powerful blast injured 9 people including 3 policemen who have been shifted to Lady Reading Hospital.

The suicide bomber’s head has been found off Deens Center, usually a crowded commercial area where the blast occurred. Other vehicles present around the FC Chief’s were also damaged.

Gunshots were also heard immediately after the blast.

Heavy contingents of police and FC personnel reached the blast site and sealed the area for collecting evidence.

Siffwat Ghayur, considered to be an honest and valiant police officer, served as CCPO Peshawar before assuming the office of FC Commandant. The deceased, who also remained a Commandant of Police Academy for three years, played a significant role in maintenance of peace in Peshawar.

Senior Provincial Minister Bashir Bilour also reached the blast site and told the reporters that the blast was a suicide attack. He said the suicide bomber was in a taxi that struck the FC vehicle.

He said the terrorists are going berserk because they have failed to achieve their goals.

LAHORE: Five back-to-back blasts have happened in Iqbal Town of Lahore within the last 45 minutes, Geo News reported Friday.

All the five blasts have taken place in the premises of Iqbal Town.

The first blast occurred in an empty plot near crowded Moon Market in Kashmir Block. The second blast hit a car parked outside a house. The third blast occurred near Edhi Center in Kashmir Block located in Iqbal Town. The fourth blast has been reported outside the residence of a serving DSP again in Iqbal Tow.

No causality is reported din these attack. However, four people have received injuries.

It may be reminded here that dozens of people were killed in two blasts at Moon Market on December 7 last year.

Earlier, at least 39 people were killed when two suicide bombers blew themselves up in R A Market near security forces’ convoy.

Overall seven blasts have taken place in Lahore within 10 hours, killing 39 people and injuring 95 others.

The series of bomb blasts in the city has triggered panic and fear among the citizens.

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LAHORE: Three back-to-back blasts have happened in Iqbal Town of Lahore, Geo News reported Friday.

The third blast has occurred in near Edhi Center at Kashmir Block. However, nobody is hurt in the last blast.

Overall five blasts have taken place in Lahore within 10 hours, killing 39 people and injuring 95 others.

LAHORE: Two suicide attackers blew themselves up near security forces vehicles in R A Bazar area of South Cantt as crowds gathered for Friday prayers killing at least 39 people including five security personnel and injuring 95, Geo News reported.

“Thirty-nine people were killed and 95 wounded in the attacks,” Inspector General Police Punjab Tariq Salim Dogar told reporters after visiting the blast site.

“We have collected concrete technical evidence, which will help identify the attackers. Both the attackers were on foot,” he added.

Five security men were dead and 15 injured in the attack, security sources said.

“There were two suicide bombers who attacked two military vehicles within the space of 15 seconds,” SSP Operations Mohammad Shafiq told Geo News.

“The heads of both attackers have been found,” he said.

Rescue workers and paramedics rushed to the R A Bazaar, a densely populated area of the city. The area was crowded as the blasts occurred shortly before the main Friday prayers were to start.

Emergency has been declared in city hospitals and injured were shifted to CMH and other hospitals.

Security forces have cordoned off the area and traffic was blocked. Media was not allowed to go near the scene.