According to Dawn News, a suicide bomber blew up an explosive-laden vehicle outside the interrogation centre of the Special Investigation Agency (SIA) of the Punjab government in Model Town, killing at least 14 people, among them eight security personnel and a woman, and injuring 89 others.

The death toll from the blast rose to 14 after more bodies were found from under rubble.

Police said that about 40 personnel were in the rented building, but no suspects were there when the attack took place.

The banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack.

The building in 'K' block of Model Town was near a safe house of the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) in 'F' block hit by terrorists in March 2008.

The explosion was so powerful that it killed a woman who lived in a house that was 300 metres away from the blast site.

The 40-year-old Saeeda Ghazala was a mother of three. The injured included passers-by, residents of nearby houses and teachers and students of the Quran Academy run by religious scholar Dr Israr Ahmed.

An official said 400 to 500kgs of explosives had been used.

A trench dug by the authorities and filled with water to secure the SIA cell prevented the attacker from ramming his vehicle into the wall of the building. Although the vehicle was blown up on the road a few feet away from the trench, its impact was devastating.

Police said the blast, which left an eight-foot deep and 15-foot wide crater on the road and whose impact was felt up to several kilometres away, razed the two-storey building. Several houses were severely damaged.

Panic-stricken residents of Model Town and adjoining localities rushed out of their homes as electricity poles and power lines were damaged and supply suspended.