Faisalabad, March 08: At least 13 people were killed and 40 were injured in an explosion that took place near the army recruitment centre in Faisalabad on Tuesday, DawnNews quoted rescue services as saying.
The explosion also damaged nearby buildings.
An office of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and a local gas station were severely damaged in the blast, AP reported.
Senior government official Naseem Sadiq said explosives were planted in a vehicle parked at the gas station, which also lies near police offices as well as the PIA building.
Police cordoned off the site of the blast and rescue officials were shifting the wounded to nearby hospitals.
The nature of the blast was yet to be determined.
Television reports showed piles of bricks, and chunks of twisted metal from cars strewn across the wrecked station.
Faisalabad, 260 kilometres south of Islamabad, is a key hub for Pakistan’s textile industry and it has rarely been targeted. However, it lies in Punjab province, where extremist groups are believed to be growing in strength.
——–Agencies