ISLAMABAD - At least eight persons were injured here on Thursday when an alleged suicide bomber hit the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) building, situated in Islamabad Police Lines, with his explosive laden vehicle. The blast created a crater of approximately three and half feet deep and 10 feet long. It destroyed one part of the ATS building and broke down the windowpanes of the nearby buildings. The bang pf the explosion was heard within six kilometers radius and the smoke was visible from a long distance. Immediately after the blast, police cordoned off the entire area and investigation teams, including forensic experts, rea-ched the scene to collect evidences of the blast. Emergency was announced in all the hospitals of the city and ambulances of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Eidhi Center and the staff of Rescue 1122 reached the scene for rescue operation. According to PIMS spokesman, five injured persons namely Tahir Mehmood, Wakeel Khan, Naveed, ASI Faizullah and Javaid were brought to the PIMS and all were stable except Naveed who is reported in critical condition. The other injured persons were sent to Polyclinic and NESCOM hospital. According to police sources, a white colour Corolla car bearing registration number AEJ 789 entered the jurisdiction of Police Lines and when it was stopped for identification by the security staff, the driver of the car told that he had sweets with him for a DSP named Mumtaz. Sources added that he also presented his identity card at the reception of the building, according to which his name was Musa Khan. The sources further disclosed that the registration number plate, fixed to the car, was of a Honda car, which was stolen from Karachi on May 10, 2004. They also said that a letter, written both in Pashto and Urdu languages, was also found from the sweet box. When police officials were contacted, they said that the building was used as ATS employees' residence and around 300 employees were living there. However, they added, only 15 to 20 persons were present in the building and most of the ATS staff was on duty at different places of the city when the blast occurred. Meanwhile, an injured person, Javaid, told TheNation that a 17 or 18 years old boy entered the premises of the building with sweets and when he got out of the car, it blew up instantly. However, he added, it was difficult for him to say either the boy escaped, died or injured. Advisor to the Prime Minister on Interior Rehman A Malik has taken strict notice of the security negligence and said that there are certain faults in the security system, which needs to be rectified immediately. He also lauded the services of the rescue teams. While declaring Police Line blast as a security lapse, Chief Commissioner Kamran Lashari said that such kind of mistakes could not be ignored. Talking to media men at the site of the blast, he said, reaching the ATS building in Police Lines successfully by a suicide bomber is security lapse. To a question, Lashari said it would to earlier to say either that was a suicide attack or not. Inspector General Police Asghar Gardazi said that an investigation team has been constituted on the directive of Advisor to Prime Minister on Interior Rehman Malik. The committee would submit its report within 24 hours, he said. He also said that the blast in a high-security zone certainly is a question mark and proper investigations are required to reach the truth. Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif and Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Sherry Rehman, strongly condemned the bomb blast. President Zardari in his message said that such incidents could not deter the government's resolve to fight terrorism and extremism. Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani announced a compensation of Rs 100000 each for injured person. The Prime Minister also directed the law enforcement agencies to further strengthen security in all the important cities of the country, particularly the federal capital, and initiate immediate inquiry into this cowardly act. Mian Nawaz Sharif strongly condemned the blast and termed the attack as tragic and shocking. He also prayed for the early recovery of the injured persons. Sherry Rehman while condemning the blast said that the government and the people of Pakistan could not be deterred by bomb blasts. She said that government is determined to wipe out terrorism from the country. She also expressed that the people of Pakistan are united against terrorism. Online adds: Renowned social worker Abdul Sattar Edhi Thursday fainted at the site of bomb blast at Islamabad Police Line. Edhi was inspecting the affected area during rescue activities when suddenly he fainted. He was shifted to PIMS. PIMS sources told Online that he was out of danger and undergoing various tests and would be permitted to go home soon.