South Asia News

Failed anthrax attack on residence of Pakistani prime minister

Feb 1, 2012, 15:15 GMT

Islamabad - Law enforcement agencies in Pakistan were Wednesday investigating after a parcel sent to the residence of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani was confirmed as containing anthrax.

The parcel was sent last year, but the laboratory test report was received by the Islamabad police only in January. It confirmed that the suspected powder in the parcel was anthrax.

'We were informed about a suspected parcel at the prime minister's house on October 18. We sent it to the laboratory and got the report only few days back after which we have launched a formal investigation to see who is behind this,' said Naeem Iqbal, the investigator.

'The parcel was posted from Jamshoro in Sindh (the southern province,' he added.