By Amena Khokhar, KUNA,
Islamabad : More than eight persons were killed and 17 others were wounded in a huge explosion near Danish embassy here on Monday causing damage to several nearby buildings including India House and UN office.
According to initial reports, police sources told KUNA, a suicide bomber rammed his explosive-laden vehicle into the entrance gate of a foreign NGO, Devolution Trust for Community Empowerment, adjacent to the Danish embassy. Authoritative sources confirmed that more than eight persons including two security guards, deployed at the gate and a foreigner were killed and 17 others were wounded. Hospital sources said seven of the wounded were in critical condition.
More than two dozen vehicles parked inside the NGO parking area were also damaged and several trees were put on fire. While, several nearby buildings including UN office and the India House were also damaged.
Secretary Interior Syed Kamal Shah confirmed death of five persons and said that it could be a suicide attack.
Police cordoned off the area and the security was put on high alert in the politically sensitive capital of Pakistan, key US war ally.
The explosion was first since installment of new civilian government in Islamabad led by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), whose chairperson, Benazir Bhutto, was killed in a gun and suicide attack last year in adjacent Rawalpindi city.