Eight injured in two Lahore blasts

LAHORE - At least eight persons were injured when two low intensity bomb blasts rocked Lahore on Saturday night.

Fear stricken participants of a theatre workshop were seen running out the hall after the explosions.

Police and bomb disposal squad officials said the explosions were caused by firecrackers, but eyewitnesses maintained that the blasts were triggered off by a remote control device.

Hamaad, an eyewitness, said the blasts occurred when qawali and ghazal sessions were going on.

“The first bomb exploded at 11:10 pm while second blast occurred at around 11:40 pm, which further scared people present inside the hall.

Rafi Peer Theatre Workshop (RPTW) chairman Faizan Peerzana said the explosions were an attack on Pakistan’s culture by anti-social elements.

“It is a clear cut attack on culture. The nation should be united against these non-state elements involved in nefarious activities,” The Nation quoted Peerzana, as saying.

The same theatre was attacked last year when three bombs exploded near the Punjab Arts and Language Centre, also known as the Punjabi Complex, and another near the Alhamra Cultural Complex close to the Gaddafi Stadium. (ANI)