Powerful blast rocks Karachi; 15 killed

KARACHI: A powerful blast destroyed the office of a police department spearheading the drive against Taliban militants in Pakistan's southern port city on Thursday, killing at least 15 people and injuring 40 others.

The blast occurred at around 8.20pm at the office of the crime investigation department located in the heart of Karachi at a short distance from the Sindh chief minister's official residence and several five-star hotels.

At least 15 people were killed and 40 others injured by the blast, Geo News channel quoted its sources as saying. The channel also reported that the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had claimed responsibility for the attack.

The CID had recently arrested six Lashkar-e-Jhangvi operatives who were reportedly being held at the building that was targeted. News channels quoted witnesses as saying that the blast was preceded by firing.

State-run PTV reported that the CID office had been reduced to rubble by the explosion.

Most of the dead and injured were police personnel and members of their families, who lived in residential quarters near the CID office.

The blast uprooted trees and blew out windows on nearby buildings. It also triggered widespread panic in the streets and motorists made a scramble to flee the area.