Six injured in two low intensity blasts in Lahore

Two low intensity blasts targeted as many internet cafes in this eastern Pakistani city today, injuring six persons, officials said.

The first explosion occurred at an internet cafe near a cinema hall in Garhi Shahu, a congested residential area, at 4.10 pm. The blast caused widespread damage to the cafe.

The second blast occurred minutes later at another internet cafe in the basement of a building in Begum Kot, located about 15 km from Garhi Shahu.

Police said the bomb was hidden in a bag.

State-run rescue service spokesman Fahim Jahanzeb told PTI at least six persons were injured by the blasts.

They sustained minor injuries, he said. Rescue workers rushed the injured to nearby hospitals. Authorities evacuated parts of the Garhi Shahu area and closed down several shops.

Personnel of the bomb disposal squad scoured the blast sites.

The Tehrik-e-Tahafuz-e-Pakistan (Movement for the Protection of Pakistan) claimed responsibility for the attacks, Geo News channel reported.

It also said that some journalists had received an SMS message that there would be three blasts in Lahore today.

It did not say who had sent the message.

Police officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, told PTI they believed elements linked to radical religious groups based in Lahore were behind the bombings.

An alert had been sounded across Lahore, they said.