A suicide bomber attacked police headquarters in Islamabad and warplanes bombed Islamist militants, killing at least 20, in a northwest valley today as Pakistan's war with militants intensified.
Officials reported eight or nine injuries but no fatalities in the attack on the police complex housing an anti-terrorist squad on the outskirts of the capital.
Police chief Asghar Raza Garbazi said the attacker entered the police building carrying two baskets of sweets and presented one of them to a policeman. "The moment he gave basket to the policeman, an explosion took place." He said three policemen were wounded.
The explosion occurred as Pakistan's newly appointed intelligence chief briefed parliament on the internal security threat for a second day in a special, closed joint-session.
The bomber struck a target in a high security zone, though the city has been on high alert in the wake of a suicide truck bomb that killed 55 people and destroyed the Marriott hotel on September 20th.
President Asif Ali Zardari and prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani immediately issued a statement saying the attack "would not deter the government from fighting the scourge of terrorism."
Meanwhile, a military official said jet fighters carried out two airstrikes on a hideout and a training facility used by fighters loyal to militant commander Mullah Fazlullah, who emerged at the head of a revolt in the northwest valley of Swat late last year.
"Twenty militants, including important commanders were killed but Fazlullah escaped. He was present there," the official said.