Pakistan's government has blamed Taliban militants for a bomb attack in Lahore that killed 23 people and left hundreds more injured. A group of gunmen shot at police officers before detonating a powerful car bomb, damaging buildings in the ISI spy agency complex. At least one ISI agent, 12 police officers and one child were reported killed in the attack. Rescuers are searching the rubble and warn that the death toll could still rise.

Officials said the Taliban carried out the attack in revenge for the military offensive in the Swat Valley. Interior Minister Rehman Malik told reporters: "Enemies of Pakistan who want to destabilise the country are coming here after their defeat in Swat. There is a war, and this is a war for our survival." (BBC, May 27)

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