This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/04/world/asia/pakistan.html

The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 3 Version 4
Deadly Suicide Attack on Court Complex Rattles Pakistan’s Capital Fatal Attack Rattles Court Complex in Pakistani Capital
(about 3 hours later)
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — In a rare strike in the heart of Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, militants killed at least 11 people at the district court complex on Monday, shaking the government just as prospects for talks with the Taliban seemed to be improving.ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — In a rare strike in the heart of Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, militants killed at least 11 people at the district court complex on Monday, shaking the government just as prospects for talks with the Taliban seemed to be improving.
An obscure militant cell, calling itself Ahrar-ul-Hind and thought to be a splinter group from the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack, just a day after the Pakistani government announced that it would halt airstrikes against Taliban militants who had declared a cease-fire. But the group gave no motive for the attack.An obscure militant cell, calling itself Ahrar-ul-Hind and thought to be a splinter group from the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack, just a day after the Pakistani government announced that it would halt airstrikes against Taliban militants who had declared a cease-fire. But the group gave no motive for the attack.
A senior judge, Rafaqat Ahmed Awan, was among those killed in the assault, carried out by gunmen with explosive vests who also wounded at least 25 people and set off a chaotic mass rush from the court complex and a busy market nearby, police officials said.A senior judge, Rafaqat Ahmed Awan, was among those killed in the assault, carried out by gunmen with explosive vests who also wounded at least 25 people and set off a chaotic mass rush from the court complex and a busy market nearby, police officials said.
Afterward, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif held an emergency meeting with the army chief, Gen. Raheel Sharif, and the head of the Inter-Services Intelligence directorate, Lt. Gen. Zahir ul-Islam. No details of the meeting were made public, and it was unclear what effect the attack might have on often-derailed efforts to open negotiations with the Pakistani Taliban.Afterward, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif held an emergency meeting with the army chief, Gen. Raheel Sharif, and the head of the Inter-Services Intelligence directorate, Lt. Gen. Zahir ul-Islam. No details of the meeting were made public, and it was unclear what effect the attack might have on often-derailed efforts to open negotiations with the Pakistani Taliban.
Shahidullah Shahid, a spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban, denied any role in the assault on the court complex. “We have nothing to do with the attack,” he said in a telephone interview. “We have announced a cease-fire, and we will follow it for one month. Media should restrain itself from blaming us.”Shahidullah Shahid, a spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban, denied any role in the assault on the court complex. “We have nothing to do with the attack,” he said in a telephone interview. “We have announced a cease-fire, and we will follow it for one month. Media should restrain itself from blaming us.”
Witnesses described scenes of chaos after the attackers suddenly opened fire around 9 a.m. Monday.Witnesses described scenes of chaos after the attackers suddenly opened fire around 9 a.m. Monday.
The number of attackers remained unclear. Police officials said there were only two gunmen, but witness accounts, and later comments by senior security officials, suggested that there could have been three or four.The number of attackers remained unclear. Police officials said there were only two gunmen, but witness accounts, and later comments by senior security officials, suggested that there could have been three or four.
Hubdaar Shah, who works as a clerk in a lawyer’s office, said he was coming out of a judge’s office when he heard gunshots. Hubdaar Shah, a clerk in a lawyer’s office, said he was coming out of a judge’s office when he heard gunshots.
“I ignored the first gunshot sound and kept walking toward my office, but then the gunfire got louder and started coming from two different directions,” Mr. Shah said. “The gunfire continued for several minutes. Then, we heard two small explosions, followed by a big explosion.”“I ignored the first gunshot sound and kept walking toward my office, but then the gunfire got louder and started coming from two different directions,” Mr. Shah said. “The gunfire continued for several minutes. Then, we heard two small explosions, followed by a big explosion.”
“There was confusion as we did not know what was happening. Everyone was running for cover,” he said. “Nothing like this had ever happened before. It was a frightening experience.”“There was confusion as we did not know what was happening. Everyone was running for cover,” he said. “Nothing like this had ever happened before. It was a frightening experience.”
Mr. Shah said he escaped the gunfire by taking a narrow street between the law offices and courts. Mr. Shah said he escaped the gunfire by taking a narrow street between the law offices and the courts.
Soon after, police officers and troops arrived, cordoned off the area, and combed through the offices to search for the attackers and secure buildings. Sikandar Hayat, the police chief of Islamabad, told reporters that the attackers detonated their explosives after they had been surrounded by the police. Soon afterward, police officers and troops arrived, cordoned off the area, and combed through the offices to search for the attackers and secure buildings. Sikandar Hayat, the police chief of Islamabad, told reporters that the attackers detonated their explosives after they had been surrounded by the police.
Afterward, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, the cabinet official ultimately in charge of the police, criticized officers for not even being able to pin down the number of attackers. And he suggested that the attack may not have been related to any political dissent within the Taliban, but rather may be connected to the arrest of seven men accused of being militant operatives in an Islamabad suburb on Saturday. Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, the cabinet official ultimately in charge of the police, later criticized officers for not even being able to pin down the number of attackers. And he suggested that the attack might not have been related to any political dissent within the Taliban, but rather might be connected to the arrest of seven men accused of being militant operatives in an Islamabad suburb on Saturday.
Separately, two paramilitary soldiers were killed and seven were wounded on Monday in the restive northwestern Khyber tribal region when a roadside bomb exploded near their convoy. Separately, two paramilitary soldiers were killed and seven were wounded on Monday in the restive northwestern Khyber tribal region when a bomb exploded near their convoy.