Terrorists launch attacks in Lahore

M Zulqernain

Lahore, Oct 15 (PTI) In audacious attacks, terrorists on
Thursday stormed the Federal Investigation Agency building and
two other security establishments in this eastern Pakistani
city, triggering fierce exchanges of fire with police that
left at least four persons dead and several injured.

Terrorists attacked the FIA office on Temple Road,
located close to the Mall Road, a key thoroughfare of Lahore
this morning and opened indiscriminate fire. The gunmen also
took several in the building hostages, Pakistani TV channels
said.

Two bodies were recovered near the gate of the FIA
building, SP Civil Lines Haider Ismail told reporters. He said
a suicide jacket and grenades were recovered from the spot.

Dozens of policemen, members of the Elite Force and
paramilitary Pakistan rangers surrounded the building and
exchanged fire with the gunmen.

Some Elite Force and Rangers personnel entered the FIA
building to eliminate the terrorists. TV channels beamed
footage of at least two bodies being removed from the site by
rescue workers.

In the second synchronised attack, another group of
terrorists struck a police training centre at Badiyan Road,
about 6 km from the airport. Witnesses said the terrorists
lobbed several grenades and then opened fire before entering
the centre.

Scores of policemen surrounded the training centre at
Badiyan Road. Officials said a large parade was to be held at
the centre on Thursday.

Five to six terrorists were involved in both attacks, TV
channels reported.

Even as the security personnel were taking stock of the
situation, another group of ultras stormed the Police Training
Centre at Manawan on the outskirts of the city.

The FIA office that was attacked on Thursday morning is
located next to another building of the same agency that was
targeted by a suicide car bomber in March last year. In that
attack, 24 people were killed and scores injured.

The building targeted by the suicide attacker is
currently empty as it was badly damaged in last year's attack.

Terrorists had in March this year stormed the police
training centre at Manawan, which is located close to the
other training facility attacked on Thursday morning.

The Thursday's attack was also part of a new trend of
terrorists storming the facilities of security agencies. Last
week, a group of terrorists attempted to storm the Pakistan
Army's General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. Nine attackers and
14 security personnel and civilian employees of the armed
forces died in the assault.

Pakistan channels said two terrorists and two police
personnel were killed in the attack on the FIA building.

"The situation in under control and there is no need for
any panic reaction," Interior Minister Rehman Malik said.

"The perpetrators are carrying out an agenda. The
handlers behind the attacks do not want peace," he said.

He said all the four provinces have been put on red
alert and security has been beefed up at all the key
installations.

The terror attacks have shown a spurt in recent months
following Pakistan Army's offensive against Taliban in the
restive North West Frontier Province. PTI MPB
JVN