Explosion hits upmarket area in Pakistan's second city

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) - At least eight people were killed and dozens injured in an explosion in Lahore on Thursday, police said.

Capital City Police Officer Amin Wains said the cause of the blast at an upmarket residential property under construction in the city’s southeast suburbs was unclear, broadcaster Geo News reported.

Police Deputy Inspector General Haider Ashraf said a gas leak may have caused the incident, which also devastated a shopping area.

Punjab’s Law Minister Rana Sanaullah told reporters that eight people were killed and 21 injured -- four of them critically -- in the 12.30 p.m. local time (0730GMT) explosion.

However, initial local media reports cited unnamed police officials as saying explosives had been planted inside the building and detonated by remote control, causing the roof collapse.

The blast shattered the windows of nearby buildings and set vehicles on fire. TV images showed ambulances and police vehicles rushing to the scene and blood-soaked clothing and broken furniture strewn across surrounding streets.

On Feb. 13, a suicide bomber killed more than 20 people during a demonstration outside the Punjab province parliament in Lahore, Pakistan's second largest city.

Thursday’s explosion came a day after security forces launched a counter-terrorism operation following a spate of attacks by Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Daesh and associated groups that left more than 100 people dead.