Suicide bombing kills 15, injures 22 in eastern Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, July 24 (Xinhua) — At least 15 people were killed and 22 others injured as a suicide blast hit the downtown area of Pakistan’s eastern city Lahore on Monday afternoon, said rescue officials.

According to local media reports, the blast took place at about 4:00 p.m. local time when a suicide bomber riding on a motor hit a party of policemen escorting a local anti-encroachment team demolishing illegal buildings near a vegetable market in downtown Lahore, capital city of Punjab province in eastern Pakistan.

Capital City Police Officer Lahore whose name is not mentioned by media confirmed that it was a suicide blast and the target was the police.

Local media said at least four policemen were killed in the attack and several others injured.

Several buildings, ten motorbikes and one vehicle near the blast site were also damaged, said local media.

Security forces and rescue teams have rushed to the site shortly after the blast was reported.

Bomb disposal officers said that they have found the suicide jacket on the site.

All the blast victims have been shifted to various hospitals in the city and an emergency has been declared in all hospitals in Lahore.

Hospital sources said that at least seven of the injured are in critical condition.

Chief Minister of Punjab Shahbaz Sharif has condemned the attack and directed the concerned authorities to give the best possible medical treatment to the injured people.

No group has claimed responsibility for the blast yet.