A large blast was heard in the Red Zone area of federal capital Islamabad, the blast was heard near the Danish embassy.

The death toll in a huge blast near Danish embassy in F-6 II area in the Red Zone of the federal capital Islamabad on Monday has reached to eight, while seven wounded said to be in a critical condition.

The car blast near the Denmark embassy damaged a boundary wall of the building, while nearby UNDP office premises were also damaged in the blast.

According to sources 10 to 15 kilogram explosives were used in the blast, which also shattered the vehicles parked in the area.

Huge clouds of smoke were seen over the area. The blast created four feet deep crater sources said.

Police have cordoned off the area to collect evidence about the incident.

Relief operations were underway and the wounded being transferred to hospitals.

Source

According to news sources:
A 500 KV power transmission line has been tripped in Gati area of Muzzafargarh this morning. Resulting in shut down of Tarbela, Mangla and Ghazi Brotha power houses. Power supply to several cities of Punjab and Islamabad has been suspended.

Wapda says they are trying to resolve this breakdown in few hours time.

A huge blast rocked F-6 Super market in Islamabad at around 8:50 pm local time in an uptown restaurant called Luna Capresse. This restaurant is right in front of the popular medical store called D Watson and Shaheen Chemist. So far two people are confirmed dead and 11 injured. At the time of the explosion, the restaurant was occupied by mostly foreigners. More updates coming in

Several people have been injured in a blast, the blast occurred in an Italian restaurant near Super market. Over 15 injured including foreigners have been shifted to hospitals. The blast occurred at about 850PM.

There has been a blast in Rawalpindi – Saddar. It happened in front of NADRA office at Mall Road, opposite Mall Plaza. There has been reports of casualties and many injured. As per GEO TV, a vehicle loaded with gun-powder collided with another vehicle which caused the blast.

Three persons including Lt. General Mushtaq Baig (Army Medical Corps), his driver and guard died in the blast.

Gen. Mushtaq was principal of Army Medical College, Rawalpindi.

It seems the blast was targeted on General’s car.

[ GEO | BBC ]

There is a major search operation going on in Rawalpindi and Islamabad areas right now. About 80 to 100 houses have been searched in Rawal town, near Rawal Lake, Islamabad and adjacent areas. Cable has taken off air in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. No further details, up till now, about what kind of search it is. Please stay in your houses and don’t do something which may arise authority’s suspicion on you.

These are the images we do not want to see in our cities.. Another suicide bomb attack on our military in R.A. Bazaar area this morning. The mindless violence needs to stop – and that means the Army campaign needs to stop as well.
When the govt talks of extending the “writ” to all areas of Pakistan they need to realise that the “writ” is only going to be obeyed by every Pakistani if the Govt carries out its duties to provide Justice, basic needs and prosperity to all its citizens, only then can they have the excuse of using armed force – for too long those who are taking up arms against the govt have been neglected of those basic rights. Right now the only Government service the people of NWFP and tribal belt are seeing is shells, cobra gunships and Predator drones. No government can hope to quell an armed resistance if they dont extend the Justice and basic needs to all its people. If this cycle of violence carries on then we are going to kiss goodbye to NWPF and probably Balochistan as well – we cant afford for that to happen.

Fuel stations in F-10 and F-11 have opened temporarily under police protection, and multitudes of cars are currently lined up along the roadsides to fill up on petrol and CNG. I’m not aware whether any stations in other sectors are also open right now, but the ones in F-10 and F-11 are currently running. The lines are impossibly long though, so if you need to refuel (and you probably do), you’ll need to be very patient and also prepared for the possibility that the fuel supply runs out before you reach your turn – which is why most people I know aren’t even bothering to venture out there and join the lines. But I say give it a go. Take a book, CD, or a friend with you, to help you wait. The situation is still rather uncertain and we can’t really predict when the city will come back to life again.

Stay safe, everyone.

Late last night on CNN, this footage was shown. Three shots were fired by the Benazir’s assassin from what appears to be a handgun (note how the shooter/suicide bomber was quite literally perched up onto the back of Bhutto’s SUV):

For Video & Text Thanks to The Insider Brief.

The Pakistani Spectator shares with us the transcript of Baitullah Mehsud’s alleged telephonic conversation. I’m pasting the discussion below as well.

But the debate continues: How she really died and who killed her?
(more…)

Unconfirmed reports say Benazir Bhutto is killed after a suicide Bombing attack on PPP’s campaign rally in Liaqat bagh this evening.

PPP spokesman Farahtullah Babar said Ms Bhutto was only some 50 metres away when the bomb exploded, the Associated Press news agency reports. “She had just crossed the gate when we heard a deafening sound.” She was said to be leaving after addressing the rally when explosion occured.

Was taken to RGH where she died in Operation Theatre. BBC reports as well. News is officially confirmed now.

MSN in its Most Influential Women of 2007 list ranked Benazir Bhutto at second position; she couldn’t live to see the light of 2008 though.

BTW, It reminds me of these verses in Punjabi …

سدا نہ باغ وِچ بُلبُل بولے سدا نہ رہن بہاراں

دشمن مرے تے خوشی نہ کريئے سجناں وی ٹُر جانا

Pakistan on High-Alert …!

ps: Please show some respect towards the dead while commenting.