Asia Times: Rockets blast Pakistan's capital



	November 13, 1999	atimes.com

India/Pakistan

Rockets blast Pakistan's capital
By Muddassir Rizvi

ISLAMABAD - Two days before the United Nations sanctions on Taleban-led Afghanistan go into effect, a series of explosions rocked the Pakistan capital Friday morning. Three of the seven blasts were targeted around the UN and US offices in Islamabad. Pakistan's new military government has not issued a statement.

Although police said that no damage to life or property was reported, one explosion has caused slight damage to the building of the American Center. No individual or group has claimed responsibility for the explosions.

News Network International, a domestic news agency, reported that four persons were injured in the synchronized explosions, including one guard of the United States Information Service posted at the American Center. The news agency quoted official sources saying the rockets were fired from rocket launchers positioned in empty cars parked near their targets.

The first explosion was from a jeep parked in downtown Islamabad near Saudi-Pak Tower, which houses the offices of the UN agencies in Pakistan. Minutes later, the tightly secure American Center was the venue of another blast that occured in a car adjacent to the center's parking lot. One rocket exploded near the US embassy in the capital's high-security diplomatic enclave.

According to the state-run Radio Pakistan, one rocket fell near the State Bank of Pakistan building, near buildings of the World Bank and Asian Development Bank. Another rocket landed in the hills close to Punjab House, the Islamabad residence of the Punjab chief minister.

Elsewhere police detected and defused detonators in vehicles parked in the busy Aabpara Market. Local administration officials said another detonator was also taken from the burning vehicle near the Pak-Saudi Tower.

This was the first ''terrorist'' attack after the military takeover one month ago. Though there is no evidence, it could be a warning from Islamic groups active in Afghanistan against the UN decision to impose sanctions. The Taleban have rejected the sanctions as discriminatory, said Tahir Khan, a senior correspondent who covers Afghanistan for various local and international publications.

(Inter Press Service)