Lal Masjid blast 2nd major attack since new govt

BOMB BLAST: There are reports that members of banned militant outfits had sneaked into the rally.

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Keywords: Blast, Islamabad

New Delhi: It was chaos and blood at a location where similar scenes were witnessed exactly a year ago. Nineteen people, mostly policemen, were killed when a suicide bomber blew himself up meters away from the Lal Masjid - at the Melody market in the heart of Islamabad.

The target of the blast were security personnel. Last year, policemen had stormed the mosque to flush out radical Islamists and militants who had taken sanctuary inside the complex.

Advisor to the Prime Minister on Interior Affairs, Rahman Malik however was quoted as saying that eight people were killed and 22 were injured.

The blast occured just minutes after a rally - called by Islamic parties to commemorate the first anniversary of the Lal Masjid seige - got over.

There are reports that members of banned militant outfits had sneaked into the rally.

A PPP Spokesperson said said that security had been tightened in anticipation of an attack.

Dawn correspondent, Mohammad Imran - who was witness to the explosion - said, "This is the second major suicide blast after the new government took over in Pakistan. There have been 50 suicide blasts since the Lal Masjid siege. Police suspect the blast could be an act of revenge by supporters of Ghazi Abdul Rashid, who ran the Lal Masjid and was killed in Operation Silence during the mosque seige last year."