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Pakistan leaders' 'narrow escape' | Pakistan leaders' 'narrow escape' |
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Pakistan's top leaders were to have been in the Islamabad Marriott hotel when it was bombed - but changed venue at the last minute, officials say. | Pakistan's top leaders were to have been in the Islamabad Marriott hotel when it was bombed - but changed venue at the last minute, officials say. |
Interior ministry head Rehman Malik said the president, prime minister and military chiefs should have been there. | Interior ministry head Rehman Malik said the president, prime minister and military chiefs should have been there. |
He told journalists it would have been "a great catastrophe", but did not say why the dinner plans were changed. | He told journalists it would have been "a great catastrophe", but did not say why the dinner plans were changed. |
A suicide bomb devastated the Marriot on Saturday, killing at least 53 people and wounding more than 266. | A suicide bomb devastated the Marriot on Saturday, killing at least 53 people and wounding more than 266. |
"The national assembly speaker had arranged a dinner for the entire leadership - for the president, prime minister and armed services chiefs - at the Marriott that day," Mr Malik told reporters. | "The national assembly speaker had arranged a dinner for the entire leadership - for the president, prime minister and armed services chiefs - at the Marriott that day," Mr Malik told reporters. |
"The president and the prime minister changed the venue to the prime minister's house. The function was not held at the Marriott, thus the whole leadership was saved." | "The president and the prime minister changed the venue to the prime minister's house. The function was not held at the Marriott, thus the whole leadership was saved." |
Taleban suspects | Taleban suspects |
The heavily guarded hotel was attacked at about 2000 (1500 GMT) on Saturday. | The heavily guarded hotel was attacked at about 2000 (1500 GMT) on Saturday. |
CCTV footage of the moments before the blast show a six-wheeler lorry ramming the security barrier at the hotel gate. | CCTV footage of the moments before the blast show a six-wheeler lorry ramming the security barrier at the hotel gate. |
The bomb - believed to have been detonated in the lorry - left a six-metre (20ft) crater. | The bomb - believed to have been detonated in the lorry - left a six-metre (20ft) crater. |
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Aerial footage of the damage caused by the bomb | Aerial footage of the damage caused by the bomb |
Rescuers have been combing the wreckage for survivors and bodies. | Rescuers have been combing the wreckage for survivors and bodies. |
Most of the dead were Pakistanis. One Vietnamese, a German and an American are known to have died and the Czech ambassador to Pakistan was also killed in the blast, it was confirmed on Sunday. | |
The blast prompted British Airways to cancel two flights to Pakistan "in light of the security situation". | |
No-one has yet admitted carrying out the attack, but the Pakistani Taleban are thought to be the most likely perpetrators. | |
The Marriott was the most prestigious hotel in the capital, located near government buildings and diplomatic missions. It is popular with foreigners and the Pakistani elite. Eyewitnesses: Pakistan blastIn pictures: Islamabad aftermath | The Marriott was the most prestigious hotel in the capital, located near government buildings and diplomatic missions. It is popular with foreigners and the Pakistani elite. Eyewitnesses: Pakistan blastIn pictures: Islamabad aftermath |
The hotel has previously been the target of militants. Last year, a suicide bomber killed himself and one other in an attack at the hotel. | |
The BBC's Barbara Plett, in Islamabad, says the latest attack might have been retaliation for army bombardments of suspected Taleban targets with jet fighters. | |
Earlier on Monday, Pakistan's government said it would take targeted action against the militants, promising raids in some "hotspots" near the border with Afghanistan. | Earlier on Monday, Pakistan's government said it would take targeted action against the militants, promising raids in some "hotspots" near the border with Afghanistan. |
Meanwhile, reports from Peshawar, capital of Pakistan's North West Frontier Province, say the Afghan consul in the city has been kidnapped. | Meanwhile, reports from Peshawar, capital of Pakistan's North West Frontier Province, say the Afghan consul in the city has been kidnapped. |
The consul, Abdul Khaliq Farahi, was in a car in a Peshawar suburb when it was attacked by six unidentified men, officials say. His driver died in the attack. | The consul, Abdul Khaliq Farahi, was in a car in a Peshawar suburb when it was attacked by six unidentified men, officials say. His driver died in the attack. |