Click to play videoRawalpindi: Less than two months after the Lal Masjid operation in Islamabad, two bombs tore through the garrison town of Rawalpindi – the seat of General Headquarters and that of the ISI on Tuesday.
The blast near Qasim Bazaar targeted a bus reportedly carrying ISI personnel. The ISI is known to be on the hit list of Islamic extremists. And there have been unconfirmed reports of ISI personnel being kidnapped in the tribal areas of Pakistan's lawless North West Frontier.
Another bomb on a motorcycle blew up near the RA bazaar area of Rawalpindi killing some more. More than 60 people were injured in the twin blasts.
“Both civil and military personnel were targeted. This is clearly an attempt to destabilise the country. There is a conspiracy behind this,” said Pakistan Railways Minister, Sheikh Rashid.
The attacks are seen as the most deadly since the storming of the Lal Masjid in the heart of Islamabad in July. More than 100 people were killed in that operation including Rashid Ghazi the cleric of the mosque.
“This is a very sand and a very tragic incident we have to find out the linkages and the nexus,” said Pakistan Interior Minister, Aftab Sherpao.
Embarrassing for the government is the kidnapping of at least 150 soldiers and paramilitary troops in South Waziristan. Efforts to negotiate their release have failed so far. The militants holding them are demanding the withdrawal of Pakistani troops from the areas. There's speculation the troops may have even defected indicating unrest among Pashtun soldiers over government policies in the frontier.
(With inputs from Shuchi Yadav In New Delhi)
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