Pak army under attack

35 dead as suicide bombers strike in Rawalpindi

ISLAMABAD: At least 35 people were killed and over 40 others injured in twin suicide attacks in Rawalpindi, Pakistan — one close to the headquarters of the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), and the other outside the General Headquarters (GHQ) of the Pakistan Army (PA)  on Saturday morning.

In the first incident, a suicide bomber rammed his explosive-laden car into a bus carrying 35 armymen, killing 15 on the spot and injuring 20 others.

The second explosion took place at a security check post after a suicide bomber exploded himself while trying to forcibly enter the GHQ, killing five people.

Top sources say the death toll in the twin blasts is likely to rise, as many of the injured are in critical condition. They said that most of the killed and injured belong to the ISI and the PA. Shoaib Abbasi, a hotel employee, said the force of the blast brought people running out in panic.

Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf condemned the attack, vowing they “cannot deter the government from continuing its fight against terrorism.”