Karachi, March 2
Terror struck Pakistan two days before President George W. Bush's visit, when two near-simultaneous blasts, including a suspected suicide car bomb, ripped through a parking lot near the US Consulate here today killing at least four persons, including an American diplomat, and injuring 50 others. Mr Bush, who is on a three-day visit to India, said he would go ahead with his trip to Pakistan as scheduled."Terrorists and killers cannot prevent me from going to Pakistan," he said in New Delhi, disclosing that one American diplomat was among the dead.
The explosions that rocked the high-security zone around 9 am took place in the parking area of Marriot Hotel, about 20 metres away from the Consulate.
At least one of the blasts was thought to have been caused by a car bomb, officials said adding they were investigating the motives behind it.
Although no terrorist outfit has taken responsibility for the explosions, officials feel that it was apparently timed to coincide with the visit of Mr Bush on Saturday.
Provincial Health Minister Shabbir Qaimkhani said four persons, including a woman, were killed in the explosions and 49 others were wounded.
Senior police officials said there was only one blast, caused by explosives placed in a car. It was so powerful that it caused fire in several parked vehicles whose fuel gas cylinders also exploded. Over 10 cars were destroyed in the attack.
Provincial police chief Jahangir Mirza did not rule out possibility of a suicide attack but said, "we are still investigating." Local channels said the explosion occurred when a van of the para-military vehicle of the Rangers tried to stop a suspected suicide bomber from getting close to the US Embassy through one of the entrances of Marriot Hotel. This resulted in the death of a Ranger's soldier and destruction of a security vehicle.
Besides causing heavy damage to Marriot Hotel and US Consulate, the explosions also hit some shops in the nearby Sharaton Hotel and the Pakistan Navy Hospital.
Security in Islamabad, already on high alert for Mr Bush's visit, has further been
strengthened with paramilitary forces being deployed at all sensitive locations.
Mr Bush was expected to land at Chaklala airbase in Rawalpindi when he arrives in Pakistan from India on Saturday.
— PTI
