LAHORE, Oct 4: Panic gripped shopkeepers and visitors after a bomb hoax at a Fortress Stadium food outlet on Saturday.

The whole area was got evacuated by the army and police, and a thorough search was conducted inside the stadium as well as in all shops and restaurants.

Senior Superintendent of Police (operations) Chaudhry Shafeeq told Dawn that an unidentified caller informed army officers that an explosive device had been planted in one of the restaurants situated at the Fortress Stadium. He said the army, police and the Bomb Disposal Squad checked all shops, restaurants and the stadium and cleared it after one-and-a-half hour search.

He said the man had called from a public call office number (042-6824408). Hundreds of families especially children and women ran outside the stadium soon after hearing the bomb information which created a stampede. However, no casualty or injury was reported. — Staff Reporter