At least 30 people were killed and 150 others injured in a powerful blast that went off Thursday night in the downtown area of Karachi, the largest industrial city in southern Pakistan, sources in Karachi told Xinhua.
According to sources, a building targeted by the blast was leveled to ground and many others were buried under the debris. The number of the people trapped in the collapsed building is estimated at 40.
Initial reports said that the blast took place at a building of the Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC), but latest news coming in said that the blast occurred at a building of Crime Investigation Department (CID) where at least six terrorists from Lashkari-e-Jhangvi and a Taliban militant were detained inside in addition to some other criminals.
The blast took place at about 8 p.m. at the Club road in Karachi, a busy area in the city where many important building are located including the house of Sindh province governor, the residence of Karachi chief minister and the U.S. consulate.
Sources said that there was a fierce firing outside the CID building before the blast took place.
At least over 10 policemen were reportedly killed in the blast.
The blast was just so huge that it had left a 10-feet-deep crater on the blast site and all the nearby buildings were seriously damaged, said an eyewitness.
Police sources said that the blast was caused by an explosive- laden truck.
Police have rushed to the scene and sealed off the area shortly after the blast. Rescue work is under way. A lot of ambulances are seeing coming in and out the area, said the sources in Karachi.
At least 40 injured people were admitted into the Civil Hospital in Karachi while some 20 others were hospitalized at Jinnah Hospital in the city, said hospital sources, adding many injured were in critical condition.
Pakistan Taliban (TTP) has claimed the responsibility for the attack immediately after the blast was reported. It also threatened that the next target of attack is the Pakistani president's house.
Thursday night's attack is the second most serious incident of its kind over the last six months in Karachi. Not long before a shrine in Karachi was attacked by a blast, which left over a dozen of people killed and many others injured.
VietNamNet/Xinhuanet
