Blasts injure 6 at Internet cafe in Lahore

The second blast occurred minutes later at another Internet cafe in the basement of a building located 15 km from Garhi Shahu. Police said the bomb was hidden in a bag.

State-run rescue service spokesman Fahim Jahanzeb said at least six persons were injured by the blasts. They sustained minor injuries,he said. Rescue workers rushed the injured to nearby hospitals. Authorities evacuated parts of the Garhi Shahu area and closed down several shops.

The Tehrik-e-Tahafuz-e-Pakistan claimed responsibility for the attacks,Geo News channel reported. It also said that some journalists had received an SMS message that there would be three blasts in Lahore on Saturday. It did not say who had sent the message.

Police officials said they believed elements linked to radical religious groups based in Lahore were behind the bombings.

Meanwhile,18 people were killed on Saturday when militants ambushed a convoy of private vehicles in the Kurram tribal region of northwest Pakistan that has been rocked by sectarian violence.

Several of the 18 people were killed instantly while others succumbed to injuries while being taken to hospital. Two injured persons are currently being treated in hospital,officials said.

Militants attacked the convoy of private vehicles in Char Khel area of Kurram Agency,where life has been affected due to fierce clashes between rival Shia and Sunni tribesmen. Taliban militants who infiltrated the region have been backing Sunni groups.

The convoy was travelling to Peshawar from Parachinar,the main town in Kurram,with an escort provided by the local political administration. The militants fired indiscriminately at the vehicles with automatic weapons.

Residents of Kurram tribal agency have taken to travelling in convoys with armed escorts as lone vehicles have often been targeted by militants.

People in parts of the region also travel to Peshawar via neighbouring Afghanistan to avoid militant attacks.