One policeman was killed and at least 27 people were wounded today when two car bombs exploded outside the Pakistan-American Cultural Centre in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi, officials and witnesses said.
The explosions, less than 15 minutes apart, took place about 100 metres from the residence of the US consul and about 200 metres from the US consulate, which was the scene of a bloody car bomb attack by Islamic militants in 2002.
Information Minister Mr Sheikh Rashid said it was too early to say who was responsible for the bombings, but it looked as if they could be connected to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda.
"Of course these are terrorists," he said. Asked whether al-Qaeda could be involved, he said: "It looks like so."
A US embassy spokesman said it was too early for him to comment. "We are still gathering the facts," he said.
Reuters correspondent Mr Aamir Ashraf arrived at the scene shortly after the first blast and just before the far stronger second blast, which caused the most casualties.
"There was a loud explosion and we were all stunned," Mr Ashraf said of the second explosion. "The car was engulfed in flames and the first car then also caught fire.
"Debris from the car hit people, and I saw people with head cuts and blood coming from their arms and legs. A man standing next to me was hit in the arm and was bleeding.
"We couldn't hear anything afterwards, the blast had deafened us."
Mr Ashraf said he saw no fatalities at the scene.
One policeman died later in Karachi's Jinnah Hospital, an official there said. The head of the hospital's emergency department, Doctor Seemi Jamali, said it was treating 26 wounded.
She said six were seriously hurt including several policemen and Pakistani journalists.