:2011 Faisalabad bombing

{{Infobox civilian attack

| title = 2011 Faisalabad bombing

| partof = Islamic Terrorism

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| location = Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan

| target =

| coordinates =

| date = 8 March 2011

| time =

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| type = Car bombing

| fatalities = 25+

| injuries = 127+

| perps = Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan

| susperps =

| weapons = Car bomb

| numparts =

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| dfens =

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}}

The 2011 Faisalabad bombing occurred on 8 March 2011.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/09/world/asia/09pakistan-blast.html|title=Car Bomb Kills at Least 24 Near Spy Agency in Pakistan|last=Masood|first=Salman|date=8 March 2011|work=The New York Times |access-date=8 March 2011}} At least 25 people were killed and over 127 wounded when a car bombing occurred in a compressed natural gas station in Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan.{{Cite web|url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/129384/blast-in-faisalabad-injures-12/|title=Blast in Faisalabad CNG station, 25 dead|date=8 March 2011|work=The Express Tribune|access-date=8 March 2011}} Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility for the explosion.{{Cite news|url=https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110308/ap_on_re_as/as_pakistan_19|title=Taliban car bombing kills 20 in east Pakistan|last=Ahmed|first=Munir|date=8 March 2011|agency=Associated Press |access-date=8 March 2011}}

Background

Faisalabad is the third-largest city in Pakistan and an important industrial hub of Punjab province; the attack was the first of its kind in the area, which usually remained safe from terrorist incidents.{{Cite web|url=http://pakistanissue.blogspot.com/2011/03/25-dead-and-more-than-120-wounded-in.html|title=25 dead in fresh terrorist activity in Faisalabad|date=8 March 2011}} Many textile companies are based in Faisalabad.{{Cite web|url=https://www.voanews.com/a/car-bomb-rips-through-gas-station-in-pakistan-117569888/136170.html|title=Taliban Car Bombing Kills 24 in Pakistan|date=8 March 2011|publisher=Voice of America|access-date=8 March 2011| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110309110139/http://www.voanews.com/english/news/asia/Car-Bomb-Rips-Through-Gas-Station-in-Pakistan-117569888.html| archive-date= 9 March 2011 | url-status= live}} Pro-Taliban militant groups had been gaining strength in the area, which had previously witnessed sectarian violence.

Attack

The car bomb exploded at a compressed natural gas station at about 10:30 am, leaving a 7-foot deep by 15-foot wide crater. According to local officials a Toyota Corolla packed with 40 kilograms of explosives was used in the attack.{{Cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/03/09/3158792.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110312093738/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/03/09/3158792.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 March 2011|title=25 killed in petrol station car bombing|date=8 March 2011|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=8 March 2011}}

The vicinity in which the attack took place was a sensitive area, surrounded by Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and military offices. A Pakistan International Airlines building and an ISI building were damaged in the bombing. The bomb caused several gas cylinders to explode and damaged several vehicles and buildings.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-12672955|title='At least 20 dead' in car bomb in Faisalabad, Pakistan|date=8 March 2011|publisher=BBC |access-date=8 March 2011| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110309053011/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-12672955| archive-date= 9 March 2011 | url-status= live}}

The gas station was reduced to a pile of bricks and twisted metal. Rescue officials used heavy machinery and cranes to remove rubble from the scene to search for survivors. Among the dead were an ISI officer and a schoolteacher.{{Cite web|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/08/pakistan.blast/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110311062111/http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/08/pakistan.blast/|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 March 2011|title=Taliban claims responsibility for deadly attack|last=Desta|first=Samson|date=8 March 2011|publisher=CNN|access-date=8 March 2011}}

Responsibility

A spokesman for Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan stated that the bombing, which targeted an ISI building, was in retaliation for the killing of Omar Kundi, a Taliban commander, by special forces in Faisalabad in 2010.