Powerful Blast outside Pearl Continental Hotel in Pakistan
A suicide attack on Peshawar's fiver-star Pearl Continental Hotel using a delivery truck left 12 dead and about 60 injured. The truck loaded with some 500 kg of explosives shot its way into the hotel and detonated itself.
Peshawar is the capital of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) in Pakistan. This is the seventh such bombing in one month and is believed to be in retaliation to Pakistan army's offensive against Taliban militants who had taken over the Swat Valley.
The powerful bomb ripped through the hotel turning it into mangled steel rods and rouble. The explosion could be heard several kilometers away and the impact of the bomb shattered the windows of the nearby buildings. Smoke billowed out the hotel building up a thick cloud of smoke over it. Some 40 vehicles were destroyed in the attack. The police cordoned off the area and the electricity to the hotel was cut off soon.
Latest news update puts the casualty at 12 dead and 50 injured including foreigners. The dead include two United Nations officials. The injured include a minister, a legislator, two Pakistan air hostesses and a foreign aid worker. Fire tenders and ambulances arrived soon after the incident and the injured were moved to Lady Reading Hospital. Five of the injured are stated to be serious.
Two UN officials are reported missing. Many important dignitaries and foreigners find their names in the guests list of the hotel.
This suicide attack brings back memories of the bomb attack on the Mariott hotel in Islamabad last year.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (10)
at 09:57 on June 9th, 2009
Report: death toll has risen to seven, up to 50 injured.
Source: twitter.com
at 10:08 on June 9th, 2009
Hi Jarrett,
Thanks for the update. I am also keeping an eye on the story.
at 11:27 on June 9th, 2009
Most recent stats, 11 dead 50 wounded. CNN reports that there is a police station next door, and the Frontier Corps right across the street from this 5 star hotel.
at 16:53 on June 9th, 2009
Blue Crush,
Thanks for the info. Will update story.
at 17:00 on June 9th, 2009
The blast came a week after Taliban leaders warned they would carry out major attacks in large cities in retaliation for an army offensive to reclaim the nearby Swat Valley region from the militants.
at 17:11 on June 9th, 2009
According to informed sources, the Taliban has sleeper cells in most cities. The largest concentration of Taliban's sleeper cells is believed to be in the port town of Karachi in west Pakistan. So, it is not going to be easy to bring the government offensive against the Taliban to a close soon.
at 17:53 on June 9th, 2009
Yes I'm sure that this is the case, as it is the case with Al Quaida. I think the struggle in both Pakistan and Afghanistan will be a long one. The Taliban can easily slip into the local population without being noticed.
at 18:42 on June 9th, 2009
albertacowpoke,
That's right! And, it is further complicated by the US policies which pours in thousands of dollars into Pakistan to fight terrorism and chooses to close its eyes when the same money is diverted to spread terrorism in India.
The other thing is the USA has rendered the role of the United Nations redundant. If these issues were dealt with by the UN, things would have been decided by the collective wisdom of member nations. The USA would not have been able to impose its whims and fancies on the allied forces. Direct intervention of the USA in Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, Palestine and a lot of other international disputes has only complicated the issues. Not a single issue has been resolved in decades. We formed the United Nations to deal with international issues...didn't we?
In any case, all of us in his part of the world wonder as to what the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation forces are doing in Afghanistan. The North Atlantic is thousands of miles away from Afghanistan. So, what is its role here? Afghanistan does not even share it border with the Atlantic. Somebody needs to take a closer look at this. No solution can be found to the problem here if we close out eyes to these thorny issues.
at 19:01 on June 9th, 2009
Vincent,
NATO for years was an organization bound by the fact that an attack on a member state would be considered an attack on every other nation in the Organization. I suppose involvement in Iraq and Iran was used by many of the Allies supporting this, what was known, War on Terror used this very liberal interpretation to get involved in the conflicts.
The world is so intertwined today, that it is hard to imagine that something happens in a foreign country does not affect us somehow at home.
Having said all that I think we need to ask more of those we elect to govern us. We need them to be well informed in world matters, be thoughtful in their approaches to problems and last but not least be good listeners.
I know for now that is Utipia, but it's something we should aim for.
at 18:45 on June 9th, 2009
Terrorism is always the same, they dont care of whatever will happen no matter how many innocent people will die, remember the 911 in the US, lost lives will never come again causing pain to their loved ones.