Pakistan: Attack on Lahore Police Station Kills Up to 60

Latest Post: Mehsud Claims Responsibility for Lahore Attack; 18 Dead

UPDATE (3:10 p.m. BST/7:10 p.m. Lahore): Dawn is quoting Pakistani security sources that eight attackers were killed, including two who blew themselves up, and six detained. Geo News is saying four attackers killed and four detained, with eight policemen "martyred" and 95 wounded. Military spokesman is also telling CNN eight security personnel killed; previous statement of 30 people killed is being blamed on "wrong information".

UPDATE (12:30 p.m. BST/4:30 p.m. Lahore): There is still confusion in press accounts. The Pakistan newspaper Dawn is reporting, "The police have overpowered the gunmen and the operation has concluded", but "official confirmations of the development are...awaited". It puts the death toll at "only" 13 although "it is likely to rise".

Al Jazeera is reporting up to 50 dead, with security sources saying at least four gunmen killed and six seized. The Daily Telegraph in Britain is citing reports of 60 dead from Pakistani television stations, with police statements of 92 wounded. About 25 gunmen were involved in the attack.

UPDATE (12.15pm BST/4.15pm Lahore): Reports suggest that Pakistani security forces have retaken the training centre, arresting at least one suspect. CNN says that at least 10 are dead, with local media reporting the number of dead as high as 25. The BBC, however, says there could be 40 dead.

Morning Update: A gun battle is continuing in Lahore between Pakistani security forces and attackers who invaded a police training centre Monday, throwing grenades and firing at officers taking morning roll call.

The attack killed 20 and wounded 25. Pakistani Rangers and police, supported by the Army and helicopters, have taken up positions around the centre.

Pakistan: The Long March of Victory?

12 noon GMT: Imran Khan, the leader of the Tehrik-i-Insaf (Pakistan for Justice) party, has told the media that Supreme Court Chief Justice Chaudhry was "restored by the power of the masses". He called for cases of detentions and missing persons to be pursued by the courts.

10:15 a.m. GMT: Scenes of celebration and dancing at Iftikhar Chaudhry's house. Dawn reporter Musadiq Sanwal writes, "Only thing everybody is saying is that this is beginning of a revolution and they expect a lot more to happen.

Morning Update (5:45 a.m. GMT): The overnight news is stunning. In the early-morning hours, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani addressed the nation and announced the restoration of Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry (pictured) and almost 50 judges forced from their positions by Pervez Musharraf, President Asif Ali Zardari's predecessor. Hundreds of activists have been released from detention.

On the political front, Gillani confirmed the news that the Government will pursue a review of the court ruling that disqualified the leader of the Pakistan Muslim League (N), Nawaz Sharif, and his brother Shahbaz, the Governor of Punjab, from public office.

Sharif reacted with the statement, "We are now calling off this long march," saying that the decision was made after discussions with lawyers and other political leaders such as Imran Khan. He continued, "Very soon we will play our role in implementing real democracy in this country."

A cautious but welcoming American reaction came through the US Embassy in Pakistan, "This is a statesmanlike decision taken to defuse a serious confrontation, and the apparent removal of this long-standing national issue is a substantial step towards national reconciliation."

The speed of the Zardari Government's concession to its legal and political opponents is almost breath-taking. As late as Sunday morning, the President was holding out against the restoration of Chaudhry, partly because of the legal difficulties it might cause for him, partly because it would hand a notable victory to the political opposition in general and Nawaz Sharif in particular.

Why Zardari gave in will be the subject of speculation today, but his political support was crumbling, with the resignations of former allies such as Information Minister Sherry Rahman as well as leading security commanders. As early as Thursday, Washington had made clear that it wanted a compromise with the opposition, and the presence of the head of the Pakistani military, Ashfaq Pervez Kiani, at yesterday's Zardari-Gillani meetings is a signal that the military was looking for a settlement.

Indeed, according to sources speaking to the Pakistani newspaper Dawn, Kiani's intervention was the catalyst for Zardari's concessions. He told the President and Prime Minister "that they needed to reverse some of the controversial decisions before the situation spiralled out of control....It was after his not-so-veiled warning that the two top civilian leaders agreed to roll back some of the controversial decisions of the previous and present governments."