At least seven people were killed and about 20 injured when an explosion ripped through a hotel near Pakistan's capital Islamabad, officials said Wednesday. ( dpa )
The blast which occurred late Tuesday severely damaged the roadside hotel in Sihala area.
"The preliminary investigations indicate that 3 to 4 kilograms of explosives was used in the bomb," said Ahmad Latif, a senior police officer.
He said seven people died and 20 were injured. All of the victims were civilians.
Omer Wali, a cook, told the English-language newspaper Dawn that nearly 15 to 20 people were eating when the explosion rocked the restaurant.
Pakistan is currently facing a resurgence of violence from militants who have their bases in country's tribal areas bordering Afghanistan.
Last week two suicide bombers blew themselves up at the gates of a military-run weapons factory, killing some 80 people and injuring 100 more. Most of them were civilians.