KARACHI, Aug 2: Two envelopes containing some powder were sent to the offices of a multinational bank on Saturday, setting off an anthrax scare, it was learnt on Monday.

Police were informed of the case on Monday, well-placed sources said. The powder was sent to the Aga Khan University (AKU) for analysis, they added. However, the spokesperson for the AKU denies having received the powder.

Confirming that two envelopes containing powder had indeed been sent to the bank, Manzoor Mughal, the SSP Investigations, told Dawn that his office had already started looking into the matter.

Mr Mughal was of the opinion that somebody, somewhere might have played a prank on the bank. He said that some samples would soon be sent to the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad.

When contacted, Talat Tayabji, chief of the Aga Khan University's public affairs department, told Dawn that no case of anthrax was pending with her institution. She said the AKU lacked the facilities to analyse anthrax powder.