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Multan blast claims 12 lives: Rescue 1122

Updated at: 1256 PST, Tuesday, December 08, 2009 MULTAN: At least 12 people were killed and several others injured in the twin blasts in Qasim Bela area of Multan Cantt near a building of a sensitive agency, Geo News quoted Dr Kaleem of Rescue 1122 Tuesday. Dr Kaleem said the deceased include eight civilians and four security men. Rescue teams including 1122, police and other relief teams arrived on the spot. Police put security cordon around the whole area of blast site. Also, a military helicopter is hovering over the area for surveillance. The injured are being shifted to the nearby hospitals including Nishtar Hospital, Civil Hospital and CMH, where state of emergency has been declared. According to Geo News correspondent, at least 11 injured including children and women were brought to the Nishtar Hospital. The blast was so powerful that the windowpanes of the nearby buildings were smashed to pieces. The media is being denied access to the blasts site thanks to the sensitivity of the area. It should be mentioned that the blast occurred in the constituency of Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani. According to an eyewitness, he was passing from the area when he heard a low-intensity blast followed by a massive explosion, adding the ISI building was more than half damaged as a result of bombings. Another eyewitness told Geo News that the gunshots were fired before the blasts. Some people are feared to be trapped under the rubble of the damaged building. DIG Arif Ikaram said the blast occurred at 12:10pm in front of a secret agency building, adding he confirmed the killings of at least four people.