At least five people have been killed and many more wounded in a blast near a prominent Sufi shrine in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore, according to rescue officials.
The blast took place on Wednesday morning outside the Data Darbar shrine in Pakistan’s second-largest city.
TV footage from the scene showed a damaged police vehicle and debris strewn in front of the shrine.
Rescue services spokesperson Muhammad Farooq told Al Jazeera that the death toll stood at five people, with 17 others suffering injuries.
“At least five of those wounded are in critical condition,” he said.
“The rescue operation at the site of the blast has been completed. Investigating agencies are now at the scene and are doing their work.”
Senior police official Ashfaq Ahmed Khan told reporters those killed included three police officers, one private security guard and one civilian.
Police said they were investigating whether the blast was caused by an improvised explosive device (IED) or a suicide bomber.
“They were elite [police] officers standing there for security at Gate Two of the Data Darbar [shrine],” Khan said.
“We had general threats, but nothing specific against Data Darbar.”
There was no immediate claim of responsibility.
SOURCE:
Al Jazeera and news agencies
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