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| Version 8 | Version 9 |
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| Dozens killed in Pakistan blasts | Dozens killed in Pakistan blasts |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Twin suicide car bombings have killed at least 30 people and injured many others in the Pakistani garrison city of Rawalpindi, officials have said. | Twin suicide car bombings have killed at least 30 people and injured many others in the Pakistani garrison city of Rawalpindi, officials have said. |
| One of the blasts hit a bus packed with members of the security forces. | One of the blasts hit a bus packed with members of the security forces. |
| Another explosion at a checkpoint left officers badly hurt, and there are fears the death toll will rise. | Another explosion at a checkpoint left officers badly hurt, and there are fears the death toll will rise. |
| It came as former Pakistani PM Nawaz Sharif - ousted in 1999 by President Pervez Musharraf - said he would return to Pakistan from exile on Sunday. | It came as former Pakistani PM Nawaz Sharif - ousted in 1999 by President Pervez Musharraf - said he would return to Pakistan from exile on Sunday. |
| Mr Sharif - leader of the Muslim League-N party - previously tried to return in September but was immediately deported back to Saudi Arabia. | Mr Sharif - leader of the Muslim League-N party - previously tried to return in September but was immediately deported back to Saudi Arabia. |
| Meanwhile Pakistan's Electoral Commission has confirmed Gen Musharraf's victory in last month's presidential election, ratifying a second five-year term. | |
| The result was initially put on hold until a reconstituted Supreme Court verified Gen Musharraf's right to stand while remaining head of the armed forces. | |
| Burning bus | Burning bus |
| Witnesses said the bus entered a compound housing Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), followed by a small car, which blew up seconds later. | Witnesses said the bus entered a compound housing Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), followed by a small car, which blew up seconds later. |
| "We saw a burning bus and people from the army trying to put the fire out. I don't think anybody inside the bus could have survived," Shoaib Abbasi, who was working at a nearby hotel, was quoted by AFP news agency as saying. | "We saw a burning bus and people from the army trying to put the fire out. I don't think anybody inside the bus could have survived," Shoaib Abbasi, who was working at a nearby hotel, was quoted by AFP news agency as saying. |
| Soldiers and police quickly sealed the scene, and forced bystanders and journalists back. | Soldiers and police quickly sealed the scene, and forced bystanders and journalists back. |
| Both vehicles were destroyed in the blast, which also damaged surrounding buildings. | Both vehicles were destroyed in the blast, which also damaged surrounding buildings. |
| An intelligence agent at the scene told the Associated Press news agency that the destroyed bus was a 72-seater, but that more people were on board. | An intelligence agent at the scene told the Associated Press news agency that the destroyed bus was a 72-seater, but that more people were on board. |
| About 19km (12 miles) away, a bomber in a car also attacked the checkpoint, army spokesman Maj Gen Waheed Arshad said. | About 19km (12 miles) away, a bomber in a car also attacked the checkpoint, army spokesman Maj Gen Waheed Arshad said. |
| Reports from security sources said at least one officer died in the attack. | Reports from security sources said at least one officer died in the attack. |
| "Both were suicide attacks," Gen Arshad told local reporters. | "Both were suicide attacks," Gen Arshad told local reporters. |
| Pakistan has recently seen a number of suicide bombings, including an attack in Karachi that killed at least 135 people. | Pakistan has recently seen a number of suicide bombings, including an attack in Karachi that killed at least 135 people. |
| This is the third recent strike on Rawalpindi, and the first since a state of emergency was imposed by Gen Musharraf. | This is the third recent strike on Rawalpindi, and the first since a state of emergency was imposed by Gen Musharraf. |
| Rawalpindi, near the capital, Islamabad, is the main headquarters of the army in Pakistan, and the place where Gen Musharraf has his military offices. | Rawalpindi, near the capital, Islamabad, is the main headquarters of the army in Pakistan, and the place where Gen Musharraf has his military offices. |
| Political turmoil | Political turmoil |
| No group has yet claimed responsibility for the bombings. | No group has yet claimed responsibility for the bombings. |
| But the BBC's Barbara Plett in Islamabad says attacks are often suspected to have been carried out by pro-Taleban militants in revenge for military operations in the tribal areas near the Afghan border and in North-West Frontier Province. | But the BBC's Barbara Plett in Islamabad says attacks are often suspected to have been carried out by pro-Taleban militants in revenge for military operations in the tribal areas near the Afghan border and in North-West Frontier Province. |
| The country is in the midst of political turmoil. Gen Musharraf has imposed emergency rule, which critics say will undermine general elections scheduled for January. | The country is in the midst of political turmoil. Gen Musharraf has imposed emergency rule, which critics say will undermine general elections scheduled for January. |
| Gen Musharraf has promised to step down as the army chief and serve his new term as a civilian. | |