UN chief condemns attacks that killed dozens in Pakistan

Mar 12, 2010, 18:48 GMT

New York - United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Friday condemned the series of deadly attacks in Pakistan, including a suicide attack in Lahore in which at least 48 people died.

More than 90 people were wounded in the attack in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore. The assailants also targeted the office of World Vision International, a non-governmental relief organization.

Ban condemned the attacks as 'indiscriminate acts of violence' against civilians and extended condolences to the families of the victims and the government of Pakistan.

At least 48 people, including 18 soldiers, were killed and 95 others wounded Friday when two suicide bombings targeted a military convoy in Lahore, security officials said.

The local Sama television reported that five bomb blasts occurred within one hour, striking a residential area in Allama Iqbal town on Friday evening, wounding three people.

Thousands of people have died in dozens of suicide attacks since 2007, when Islamist insurgents started to openly challenge the Pakistan government and impose Taliban-styled Islamic rule in certain areas of the north-western region.