At least 12 people were killed and at least 27 others injured after a car exploded near the district and sessions court near G-11 area in Islamabad on Tuesday, local media reported reported.Pakistan defence minister Khawaja Asif and President Asif Ali Zardari both termed the incident a “suicide blast”.
Police said the vehicle caught fire following the blast and was quickly engulfed in flames. The site was subsequently sealed off by authorities who launched a probe to determine the cause of the blast.A heavy contingent of police and security forces rushed to the scene, while rescue teams shifted the injured to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS). Hospital sources said several victims were in critical condition, warning that the death toll could rise.Authorities have cordoned off the area and launched an investigation. According to sources, body parts believed to be of the suspected suicide bomber – including a head – were recovered from the site.Inspector general of Islamabad police Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi and the chief commissioner visited the scene and were briefed on the incident and the ongoing probe. Police said nearby vehicles and motorcycles were also damaged by the explosion and ensuing fire. No group has claimed responsibility so far. The blast comes a day after a separate explosion at the Supreme Court cafeteria, reportedly caused by a gas leak in the air-conditioning system, killed a 19-year-old youth and injured 13 others.No official attribution or claim of responsibility has been announced so far. The back-to-back incidents have heightened concern over safety standards and security preparedness in the Pakistani capital.
