By Mubasher Bukhari
LAHORE, Pakistan (Reuters) - Two suspected suicide carbombs exploded in the Pakistani city of Lahore on Tuesday,killing 22 people and wounding dozens, most of them in anattack on a government security office, police and officialssaid.
More than 500 people have been killed in Pakistan this yearin militant-related violence, including a campaign of suicidebombings.
One of the bombs went off outside the city-centre FederalInvestigation Agency (FIA), badly damaging the multi-storeyoffice and nearby buildings, shortly after working hours began.The agency focuses on illegal immigration and people smuggling,
"It is now more obvious that the terrorists are targetingthe law-enforcement apparatus of the state," city police chiefMalik Mohammad Iqbal told reporters, adding that a suicidecar-bomber was suspected to have carried out the attack.
The blasts came as opposition parties that won a February18 election were forming a coalition government, raising hopesfor political stability after months of turmoil over oppositionto President Pervez Musharraf.
Interior Minister Hamid Nawaz said the FIA blast occurrednear the entrance to the office.
"It was a huge blast that took place near the reception,"Nawaz told Reuters.
Hospital officials said 20 people had been killed in theblast, in addition to the bomber, and about 120 were wounded.
"FIGHT THE SCOURGE"
A second car bomb, also suspected to have been a suicideattack, went off in a mainly residential neighbourhood, about10 km (six miles) away, police said.
City administrator Mian Ejaz said the bomb killed twochildren while hospitals said it wounded more than 60 people.
Police said the car had two people inside and blew up afterit was stopped at the gate of an advertising agency office,near the Lahore home of Asif Ali Zardari, the widower ofassassinated former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.
Zardari, who led Bhutto's party to election victory lastmonth, said this week the party would not flinch from a longfight against militancy. He was in Islamabad on Tuesday.
Last week a twin-suicide bombing killed five people in anattack on a navy college in the eastern city.
Pakistan has been battling Islamist militancy since joiningthe U.S.-led campaign against terrorism after the September 11,2001, attacks on the United States.
While much of the violence has taken place in remotenorthwestern regions, suicide attacks have taken place in allof Pakistan's major cities over the past year.
In a separate incident, three suspected militants werekilled in an army artillery attack on their hideout in the SwatValley in North West Frontier Province, police said.
Pakistani stocks fell slightly after the Lahore bombsheightened concerns about deteriorating security, dealers said.
Musharraf condemned the blasts.
"Acts of terrorism cannot deter the government's resolve tofight the scourge with full force," the state news agencyquoted him as saying.
Also on Tuesday, cricket officials said Australia hadpostponed their planned tour of Pakistan because of securityfears.
(Additional reporting by Kamran Haider and Zeeshan Haider;Editing by Robert Birsel)
(For a Reuters blog about Pakistan please seehttp://blogs.reuters.com/pakistan)
