Suicide Bomber Kills 12 in Pakistan's Capital

An apparent suicide bomb attack killed 12 people outside a court in the Pakistani capital Islamabad on Tuesday where the country's suspended chief justice was due to speak, police and officials said.

President Pervez Musharraf suspended Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry on March 9 after drawing up a set of accusations against him. The suspension sparked protests by lawyers defending the independence of the judiciary and opposition parties seeking an end to army chief Musharraf's 8-year rule.

The blast went off about 30 metres (yards) from a stage that had been set up in a car park in a market area outside the court. Chaudhry had not arrived to speak to lawyers at the time of the blast, witnesses said.

"I saw body parts and limbs scattered all over the place," said lawyer Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmed.

City police chief Iftikhar Ahmed said the blast appeared to have been caused by a suicide bomber. The city's chief administrator Khalid Pervez said 12 were killed and 40 wounded.

Pakistan has seen a surge in violence since government forces stormed Islamabad's Lal Masjid, or Red Mosque, compound last week ending a week-long siege and killing 75 supporters of hardline clerics.

The explosion occurred at a stall set up by the opposition Pakistan People's Party of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, witnesses said.

Witnesses told Geo TV the suicide bomber pulled up on a motorcycle and blew himself up.

Ambulances were taking away the wounded and police were trying to cordon off the area, witnesses said.