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Security forces
cordoned off the residential neighborhood, also home to banks
and coffee shops, rescue officials said, after what one bank
worker said was a "frightening" explosion.
"We left the building and saw that the motor-bikes parked
outside were on fire and all the windows in the surrounding
buildings were shattered," Mohammad Khurram told Reuters.
Punjab police spokesman Nayab Haider told Reuters the explosion
was caused by a "planted bomb" that was either time- or remotely
detonated.
No one was allowed to leave or enter the area because the bomber
was suspected to be at large, officials said.
Reports of a second explosion turned out to be a tire blowout
that caused panic due to the tense atmosphere in the city, a
government official said.
Pakistan has been struck by a wave of militant attacks in recent
weeks, killing at least 130 people across the country and
leaving hundreds wounded. The worst of the attacks was at a Sufi
shrine in southern Sindh province that killed 90 people.
Thursday's bombing was the second attack in Lahore in two weeks.
A suicide bombing on Feb. 13 killed at least 13 people and
wounded more than 80 at a protest near the provincial assembly.
Government and military officials have vowed extensive
operations to hunt down militants across the country and
Pakistan's border with Afghanistan has been shut down due to
security concerns.
After the shrine bombing, Pakistani security forces said they
had killed more than 100 suspected militants in targeted
campaigns across the country.
(Writing by Saad Sayeed; Editing by Nick Macfie)
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