15 people killed, 40 injured in Karachi blast near CM's house

Karachi, Nov 11 (PTI) A powerful blast destroyed the
office of a police department spearheading the drive against
Taliban militants in Pakistan's southern port city Thursday,
killing at least 15 people and injuring 40 others.
The blast occurred at around 8.20 p.m. at the office
of the Crime Investigation Department located in the heart of
Karachi at a short distance from the Sindh Chief Minister’s
official residence and several five-star hotels.
At least 15 people were killed and 40 others injured
by the blast, Geo News channel quoted its sources as saying.
The channel also reported that the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban
Pakistan (TTP) had claimed responsibility for the attack.
The CID had recently arrested six Lashkar-e-Jhangvi
operatives who were reportedly being held at the building that
was targeted. News channels quoted witnesses as saying that
the blast was preceded by firing.
State-run PTV reported that the CID office had been
reduced to rubble by the explosion.
Most of the dead and injured were police personnel and
members of their families, who lived in residential quarters
near the CID office.
The blast uprooted trees and blew out windows on
nearby buildings. It also triggered widespread panic in the
streets and motorists made a scramble to flee the area. PTI