ISLAMABAD, July 24 (Xinhua) -- At least two people were killed and about 20 other injured when a blast hit the downtown area of Pakistan's eastern city Lahore on Monday, local Urdu TV channel 24 reported.
According to local media reports, the blast took place at about 4:00 p.m. local time (1100 GMT) near a vegetable market in downtown Lahore, capital of Punjab province in eastern Pakistan.
Several buildings, vehicles and motorbikes nearby the blast site were damaged in the explosion, said the reports.
Security forces and rescue teams have rushed to the site shortly after the explosion.
All the injured have been shifted to nearby hospitals where emergency was declared.
Local media quoted hospital sources as saying that at least four of the injured are in critical condition.
Malik Muhammad Ahmed, a spokesman of the Punjab government, said they were collecting information about the blast and the nature of the blast was not determined yet.
A senior police officer of Lahore said that the target was the police and several policemen were among the injured.
Chief Minister of Punjab Shahbaz Sharif condemned the attack and directed the concerned authorities to give the best possible medical treatment to the injured.
So far no group has claimed responsibility for the blast.
