The explosion also damaged nearby buildings.
An office of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and a local gas station were severely damaged in the blast, AP reported.
Senior government official Naseem Sadiq said explosives were planted in a vehicle parked at the gas station, which also lies near police offices as well as the PIA building.
Regional police chief Aftab Cheema confirmed the attack in Faisalabad, the country’s textile-making capital.
“It was a car bomb blast. The explosive was planted in a car. We are investigating whether a suicide bomber was involved or not,” Cheema said.
Television pictures showed the station had been reduced to a pile of bricks and gnarled metal as rescue officials worked to remove rubble from the scene to search for survivors and ambulance vehicles ferried the injured away.
City commissioner Tahir Husain told a private television channel that rescue officials were heaving bricks and metal away to save those trapped.
“There are some people trapped under the building rubble. We have deployed our cranes and machinery to rescue them very soon,” he added.
Husain told a private television channel that no suicide attacker was involved.
“It was not a suicide attack. It was a planted bomb blast. The bomb exploded near the gas cylinders that triggered a bigger blast,” he said.
Husain said that the attack could have targeted government buildings close to the gas station site, some of which he said were damaged in the blast.
Pakistan has been wracked by violence, mostly targeting security officials.
Some 4,000 people have been killed in bomb blasts, suicide and gun attacks blamed on Taliban and al Qaeda fighters since July 2007.
FAISALABAD: A car-bomb at a compressed natural gas filling station in Faisalabad on Tuesday killed 20 people and wounded more than 100, Regional Police Officer (RPO) Faisalabad, Aftab Cheema said.
The blast set off gas cylinders at the station and the explosion destroyed or severely damaged nearby buildings and numerous vehicles.
“An explosive-laden car was parked at the CNG station,” police official told reporters.
Aftab Cheema said 20 people had been killed and more than 100 wounded
I am out of words now, i am clueless and have no idea what to say... i don't know if the killers/terrorists are actually robots with no feelings... or what???
I guess this what RAD was planning here and new station chief is in action...
Dawn reports that the bombing was close to a sensitive security agency building, and the Pakistani Taliban have taken responsibility stating that ISI was the target. I assume they had hoped to catch ISI employees filling up with gas.
I was and still feel sick myself to think about Zaliman and now am also feeling sick for all those sick minded peoples who still trying to not face realities, OK USA is bad due to bad foreign policies towards islamic countires ok they are our enemies but WHAT the ................Talibans are? bigger state of enemy the devil also feel embressed to see their actions.
But how come TTP knew about the location of I.S.I office .Ofcourse I.S.I would not be that bunch of fools to have a `Public office' there.Are there informers withing I.S.I now?
But how come TTP knew about the location of I.S.I office .Ofcourse I.S.I would not be that bunch of fools to have a `Public office' there.Are there informers withing I.S.I now?
Well there always are some administration offices that everyone knows about.
Feel very very sad!! My heartiest prayers for those who died and their families, :(
Hannibal got a point. Come what may, this terrorist whom we caught red-handed should NEVER be released. We know the terrorist organisation CIA will not just sit tight and wait, but lets see how much more bloodshed they can spread in the world.
Justice must prevail, no matter what the cost! We stand behind our agencies and hope they will keep arresting those terrorists and more importantly their masters/handlers, this is the only way forward.
A blanket ban for the so called Diplomats need to be enforced, let them stay only in areas where they have their embassy/consulate.
Enough is enough for their target selection activities!
پاکستان ميں امريکی سفارت خانہ منگل کے روز فيصل آباد ميں ہونے والے دہشت گردی کے واقعے کی سختی سے مذمت کرتا ہے جس کے نتيجے ميں دو درجن کے قريب بے گناہ شہری ہلاک ہوۓ۔ ہماری گہری ہمدردياں ان کے ساتھ ہيں جو اس عظيم سانحے سے متاثر ہوۓ ہيں۔
يہ سانحہ معصوم پاکستانی بچوں، مردوں اور عورتوں کے خلاف بلاتفريق دہشت گردی اور قتل و غارت کے سلسلے کی حاليہ کڑی ہے۔ امريکہ پاکستان کے عوام اور حکومت کے ساتھ مل کر پرتشدد دہشت گردی کے خاتمے اور شہريوں کے ليے پرامن اور محفوظ مستقبل کی تعمير کے ليے مل کر کام کرتا رہے گا۔
We can fight this terrorism once CIA stops supporting Xe/Blackwater mercenaries, remove all Raymond Davis kind from Pakistan then we will have some relief.
How convenient, 1st USA support/train/fund/instruct these terrorists through your Raymond Davises and when they successfully kill dozens of innocent then you condemn it… only USA can do it…
This is the first major blast in Faisalabad history. Security is pretty much high and capable of preemptive such explosives on the entry points of major highways, dots are being connected to entry points to Jhang which already have a delicate situation as the presence of Shia/Sunni bs history.
1) The target was ISI Office which is directly behind PIA Office/CNG Station.
2) Word of mouth in Faisalabad is that over 100 people died, government is trying to cover up.
3) Three people from my area or colony has martyred. Our driver home which was close to blast area was totally destroyed - mom/dad visited them on the eve of blast to help them out, they were on the street no government or private ngo's help them out. Our home which is located 5 kilometers away from the blast was shaken.
4) Markets & Businesses are closed for three days of mourning.
5) Overall situation is normal, there were some raids by Police & Plain cloth officers in Ghulam Muhammad Abad & Sitara Colony in connection with the yesterday blast.
Damn, and I thought Faisalabad was safe :(. My family hails from Faisalabad and this attack has really disturbed me. I'm going to keep my eyes peeled next time I go to a filling station, this is simply outrageous.
