Lahore: Serial bomb blasts ripped through Lahore on Friday, killing 45 people and injuring more than 100.
The Punjabi Taliban is believed to be behind the attack that targeted army vehicles as a possible warning to stop the military against the Taliban.
"Two suicide attacks occurred here, within 15 seconds of each other. The suicide bombers hit two vehicles belonging to CSF," said Provincial Law Minister Rana Sana Ullah.
The attack near a mosque in the crowded RA Bazaar area seemed aimed at patrolling army vehicles.
The bazaar is in the cantonment and at least 10 army personnel were listed among those dead. The attack appeared to be the work of suicide bombers whose severed heads have been recovered.
"Crackers were used in these incidents with the intention of spreading panic. Some people are talking about seeing a vehicle - a van - which apparently was planting these crackers," claimed senior police official of Iqbal Town, Nasir Rizvi.
The blasts are the latest in a series of attacks. Just days earlier an explosives-laden truck rammed into a building used as an interrogation centre by the Pakistani military killing 15.
The indications are the relative lull of the past month is over.
In recent days militants have hit the Mansehra office of the charity World Vision killing six employees. There was also an attack on a cinema in Peshawar.
Reports from Lahore quoting military sources said the strike was a direct challenge to the military.
The army recruits heavily from this region and the attack appeared to be a warning to stop the campaign against the Taliban.
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