Police targeted second time in 24 hours

Ten people injured in Multan attack.

MULTAN:

At least 10 persons, including four policemen, were injured when a bomb targeting a police sub-office in Multan went off on Sunday.

The explosive device, weighing 10 kilogrammes, was planted on a motorcycle parked in the building’s storage area.

Police said they have taken a man into custody on suspicion of being involved in the attack.

Sources said the man taken into police custody was around 25 years old and sported a “long beard”.

District Coordination Officer Zahid Akhtar Zaman said it could not be confirmed if it was a suicide attack while a civil defence officer said that eight to 10 kilogrammes of explosives were used in the attack.

The targeted police office is located on the Multan-Lahore section of the National Highway.

Poor security

Locals said that security arrangements in the area were poor, and policemen’s motorcycles had been stolen from there last week.

Eyewitnesses said that cars, parked in the area, were secured with chains.

Surrounding buildings have also been damaged.

Injured

City Police Officer Multan Amir Zulfikar Khan said that no policeman had been killed in the blast.

Earlier, hospital authorities reported that three critically-wounded policemen had died.

Two other injured were given emergency medical treatment on the spot.

One of the injured is said to be in a critical condition.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 27^th, 2011.