Islamabad: A Pakistani policeman was killed and 28 others, including three top police officials and 10 journalists, were injured in two serial car bomb blasts near the American Cultural Centre in Karachi today (May 26, 2004) which were suspected to have been caused by al Qaeda.

The first car bomb went around 17:30 hrs IST injuring two persons. A second bomb, considered to be more powerful and placed in a car bearing the Provincial Sindh Government number plates, went off about 20 minute later just as police and press photographers were examining the damage caused by the first blast.

The wall of the American council building was damaged.

The injured included several police officials including Town Police officer, two DSPs (Deputy Superintendent of Police) and several scribes working for the national and international media.

The blast occurred in an area, which also housed the American consulate and India House, from where the now-closed Indian Consulate functioned. It was closed a decade ago.

The serial blasts caused panic in Karachi, which is Pakistan's largest metropolis housing over 15 million people.

IG of Police, Sindh, Kamal Shah said police examined another car and a scooter parked near the American Centre to make sure that the area was safe.

The second car, which bore the number plates of a Government car was found to be stolen this morning, he said.

Pakistan's Interior Minister Faisal Saleh Hayat has said that it was act of terrorists.