Pakistan: 3 killed 20 injured in a blast in Lahore

In Pakistan, at least three people were killed and 20 injured in a major blast in Lahore on Wednesday.The blast reportedly occurred at a police picket outside the Lahore residence of Hafiz Saeed, co-founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba and the chief of Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD).  The case has now been taken over by the Counter Terrorismm Department(CTD).

Witnesses said the intensity of the blast was such that the glass windows of nearby houses and buildings were shattered. A few buildings at the site of the incident were also damaged in the blast.The exact nature of the blast, however, has not been ascertained yet. Inspector General of Police (Punjab) Inam Ghani said it was a car bomb explosion. Ghani even termed the incident an "act of terror". Stating that the CTD will determine whether the blast was the result of a suicide bombing, Inam Ghani also alleged that "hostile" intelligence agencies could be involved.

Pakistan's Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid has sought a report on the incident from the Punjab chief secretary and IG. Condemning the incident, Usman Buzdar, chief minister of Punjab province, said action will be taken against those behind the blast. In a tweet, the office of Usman Buzdar said that the CM demanded a report from the police regarding the blast in Lahore. He also ordered an investigation into the incident.