Bomb blast kills at least nine in Pakistan

At least nine people were killed and 20 others wounded in a bomb blast at an upscale market in Pakistan's eastern city of Lahore on Thursday.

The explosion was caused by a "planted bomb" that was either time sensitive or remotely detonated, Punjab police spokesman Nayab Haider said.

Witness, Muhammad Khurram, who works at a bank in the market, said that his workplace was shaken by the "frightening" explosion.

"We left the building and saw the motorbikes parked outside were on fire and all the windows in surrounding buildings were shattered."

Thursday's bombing was the second attack in Lahore in two weeks. A suicide bombing on February 13 killed at least 13 people and wounded more than 80 at a protest near the provincial assembly.

Speaking to TRT World, Pakistani author and journalist Zahid Hussain said the government is blaming the attacks on poor border security with Afghanistan.

Pakistan has been struck by a renewed wave of terrorist attacks in recent weeks, killing at least 130 people across the country and leaving hundreds more wounded.

The worst of the attacks was at a Sufi shrine in southern Sindh province that killed 90 people this month. Pakistani security forces said they had killed more than 100 suspected militants in response.

Government and military officials have vowed to hunt down militants across the country and Pakistan's border with Afghanistan has been shut due to security concerns.