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| Pakistan suicide blast 'kills 22' | Pakistan suicide blast 'kills 22' |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A suicide bomber in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore has killed at least 22 people and wounded 60, most of them police officers. | A suicide bomber in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore has killed at least 22 people and wounded 60, most of them police officers. |
| The bomber targeted a group of police gathered outside the High Court building ahead of an anti-government protest, officials said. | The bomber targeted a group of police gathered outside the High Court building ahead of an anti-government protest, officials said. |
| He blew himself up after being approached by police. | He blew himself up after being approached by police. |
| The attack comes amid extreme political tension following the assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto. | The attack comes amid extreme political tension following the assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto. |
| Parliamentary elections which had been scheduled for 8 January were subsequently postponed until 18 February. | Parliamentary elections which had been scheduled for 8 January were subsequently postponed until 18 February. |
| Bodies on ground | Bodies on ground |
| The blast happened just before noon local time (0700 GMT), when the courts are at their busiest. | The blast happened just before noon local time (0700 GMT), when the courts are at their busiest. |
| Television footage showed a scene of devastation in the area in front of the High Court. | Television footage showed a scene of devastation in the area in front of the High Court. |
| Lahore eyewitnesses speak | Lahore eyewitnesses speak |
| "The explosion was horrible and a number of people, including police officers, were lying dead on ground," a passer-by, Tariq Javed, told the BBC. | "The explosion was horrible and a number of people, including police officers, were lying dead on ground," a passer-by, Tariq Javed, told the BBC. |
| Mohammad Arshad, a clerk in a lawyer's office across the road from the blast, said he saw blood and bits of flesh sticking to the broken windows of his building. | Mohammad Arshad, a clerk in a lawyer's office across the road from the blast, said he saw blood and bits of flesh sticking to the broken windows of his building. |
| "The whole building shook and when I ran out I saw bodies lying all around. There was flesh and blood everywhere and people were crying for help," he told the Reuters news agency. | "The whole building shook and when I ran out I saw bodies lying all around. There was flesh and blood everywhere and people were crying for help," he told the Reuters news agency. |
| There was no immediate claim of responsibility. | There was no immediate claim of responsibility. |
| Police said the attacker was a young man who had arrived outside the court on a motorbike. RECENT ATTACKS 27 Dec: Opposition leader Benazir Bhutto and 20 people killed in suicide attack in Rawalpindi21 Dec: At least 50 dead in a suicide attack on a mosque in north-western Pakistan24 Nov: Twin suicide car bombings kill at least 30 in Rawalpindi19 July: More than 40 killed in three separate bomb attacks across the country14 July: 24 soldiers killed in suicide attack on a military convoy in north-western Pakistan28 April: Suicide bomber kills at least 22 people at a rally in North-West Frontier Province | Police said the attacker was a young man who had arrived outside the court on a motorbike. RECENT ATTACKS 27 Dec: Opposition leader Benazir Bhutto and 20 people killed in suicide attack in Rawalpindi21 Dec: At least 50 dead in a suicide attack on a mosque in north-western Pakistan24 Nov: Twin suicide car bombings kill at least 30 in Rawalpindi19 July: More than 40 killed in three separate bomb attacks across the country14 July: 24 soldiers killed in suicide attack on a military convoy in north-western Pakistan28 April: Suicide bomber kills at least 22 people at a rally in North-West Frontier Province |
| "He parked his bike and walked to the police and blew himself up," police official Jameel Ahmed told Reuters. | "He parked his bike and walked to the police and blew himself up," police official Jameel Ahmed told Reuters. |
| Police said the explosion was timed to cause maximum damage. | Police said the explosion was timed to cause maximum damage. |
| City police chief Malik Mohammad Iqbal said that all but one of the victims were policemen. | City police chief Malik Mohammad Iqbal said that all but one of the victims were policemen. |
| The officers were gathering outside the court building ahead of a protest by lawyers against the rule of President Pervez Musharraf. | The officers were gathering outside the court building ahead of a protest by lawyers against the rule of President Pervez Musharraf. |
| Pakistan has seen a massive rise in suicide bombings since 2007. | Pakistan has seen a massive rise in suicide bombings since 2007. |
| According to the Interior Ministry, the country was hit by over 50 suicide attacks last year, which claimed at least 3,000 lives. | According to the Interior Ministry, the country was hit by over 50 suicide attacks last year, which claimed at least 3,000 lives. |
| Government officials had warned of an increased risk of attacks in Lahore ahead of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar, which starts on Friday. | |
| Muharram is often marred by sectarian violence between Shia and Sunni Muslims. | |
| Did you witness the attack or were you in the area? Use the form below to send us your accounts, some of which may be published. | Did you witness the attack or were you in the area? Use the form below to send us your accounts, some of which may be published. |