The majority of the casualties were Pakistani, but there were also citizens of the US and Vietnam, as well as the Czech Ambassador, and a Danish diplomat is still unaccounted for.
Rescuers comb Pakistan bomb hotel
Rescuers in the Pakistani capital are continuing to search for bodies and survivors of a suicide bombing at a hotel, which killed at least 53 people.
Some 266 others were hurt in the blast, which devastated the Marriott Hotel.CCTV footage shows an explosives-laden lorry ram the security gate. Shots are fired and flames are seen in the cabin moments before the vehicle explodes.
Most of the dead were Pakistani. The Czech ambassador was among at least four foreigners killed.
US and Vietnamese citizens were also killed in the blast, in which at least a dozen foreign nationals were wounded. The Danish foreign ministry said one of its diplomats was missing.Six Britons and an unknown number of Saudi, German, Moroccan, Afghan and US citizens, were among those hurt.
Funerals of those killed have begun to be held in Islamabad. However, there are fears that more bodies will be found as rescue teams move deeper into the hotel.
There has been no claim of responsibility so far, but the interior ministry said the attackers were linked to Islamist militants in the north-west border region near Afghanistan.
Collapse fears
The heavily-guarded hotel was attacked at about 2000 (1500 GMT) on Saturday, when a lorry blew up at the hotel entrance after it was stopped for a security check.
The interior ministry has shown a security video of the moments before the blast.
A six-wheeler lorry rams the security barrier at the hotel gate. Shots are fired and the vehicle starts to burn. The guards run then return to try to douse the flames.
There is no footage of the main blast because it destroyed the camera, but officials said the vehicle was packed with 600kg of high quality explosives as well as grenades and mortars.
Aluminium powder was also used to accelerate the explosion and added to the ferocity of the blaze, officials said.
“I do not believe this is a breakdown in security. The attackers had disguised the truck well as it was covered with a tarpaulin and loaded with bricks and gravel,” said interior ministry adviser, Ramen Malik.
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