Top army medic officer, 7 others killed in Rawalpindi blast

Rawalpindi, Feb 25 (UNI) Pakistan army's top medical officer Lt Gen Mushtaq Ahmed Baig, his driver and guard were among eight people killed and dozens injured when a suicide bomber attacked a military vehicle on a busy road of the city, officials said.

''The general was on his way home and his car was stopped at a traffic light. The bomber was on foot and blew himself up there,'' said Interior Ministry spokesman Javed Iqbal Cheema.

He said the bomber was about 16 years old and also killed five civilians and wounded 12 others.

''It is very difficult to check suicide attacker particularly when the area is accessible to anyone,'' chief military spokesperson Major General Athar Abbas said adding that he could not ascertain who was behind the attack.

According to witnesses, several vehicles were also damaged in the blast. The explosion occurred near the GPO chowk, on the Mall Road and is close to the Military Hospital.

Security officials immediately cordoned off the site of the blast and shifted the injured to city General Hospital and the nearby Military Hospital.

Several major attacks on the military and security agencies have taken place in the city since the middle of last year.

Mushtaq Ahmad Baig joined Army Medical Corp in January 1976.

He was promoted as Lieutenant General and appointed Surgeon General Pakistan Army and Director General Medical Services (Inter Services) on February 8, 2007.

UNI XC ARB KN1911