At least 40 dead as large explosion hits Pakistan hotel

A large explosion ripped through part of the heavily guarded Marriott Hotel in Pakistan’s capital today.

An official said at least 40 are dead at least 25 wounded in Islamabad. Many more are feared dead.

The blast damaged buildings in a wide radius. A reporter saw many people, including foreigners, running out, some stained with blood.

Ambulances rushed to the scene, where a fire also burned.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast, and its exact cause was unclear.

Pakistan has faced a wave of militant violence in recent weeks following army-led offensives against insurgents in its border regions.

Mohammad Sultan, a hotel employee, said he was in the lobby when something exploded, he fell down, and everything temporarily went dark.

“I don’t understand what it was but it was like the world is finished,” he said.

The Marriott in Islamabad is a favourite place for foreigners to stay and gather, and it has previously been targeted by militants.

A security guard at the scene, Mohammad Nasir, says he saw a large truck that suddenly caught fire before exploding.

He said: “It was a big bang.”