Islamabad, Sept 20 : Several senior officers of Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) who are reported to be currently visiting Islamabad were the target of the blast at the Marriott Hotel which took place here tonight.

Well placed sources said that Marriott Hotel is usual hotel choice of the US officials and it seems that militants tipped off that certain high level US intelligence officers were currently staying at the hotel.

While no confirmation was available but Pakistan sources said it was clear that the explosion was aimed at specific targets based on a tip off.

Islamabad- More than 20 people were injured Saturday in an apparent suicide car bomb attack on the five-star Marriot hotel in Pakistan's capital Islamabad, witnesses and officials said.

"I saw a car approaching the main entrance of the hotel and then it blew up," an injured witness, Mukhtar Ahmad, told Deutsche Presse- Agentur dpa before he was taken to hospital by ambulance.

A medical officer at the city's Poly Clinic Hospital said more than two dozen people were being treated for injuries, some of them foreigners.

Islamabad, Sept. 20 : Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari said today that there is scope for both his country and India to creatively reivent their bilateral ties.

Delivering his maiden speech to a joint session of Parliament here, he said the Charter of Democracy binds the government to a framework of peace and justice for the people of Pakistan and peace and friendship with India.

Pakistan has decided to resume the composite-dialogue process with India, driving its relations through enhanced trade, he added.

Islamabad- Pakistan's new President Asif Ali Zardari said Saturday his government would not allow any foreign nation to carry out attacks inside the country.

"We will not tolerate the violation of sovereignty and territorial integrity by any power in the name of combating terrorism," he told a joint session of the parliament, as the lawmakers thumped their desks in applause.

Islamabad - At least 10 soldiers were killed and a dozen injured Saturday in a suicide attack on their convoy in Pakistan's restive tribal region along the Afghan border, security officials said.

A suicide bomber rammed his explosives-laden car into an army convoy of 30 to 40 vehicles in the tribal district of North Waziristan, destroying at least four vehicles and damaging several others.

"Ten soldiers were martyred and 12 injured in the attack," a local security said.

Islamabad, Sep 20 : Former cricketer and Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf chief Imran Khan has castigated the government for increasing prices of petroleum products, particularly diesel when its rates in the world market were showing a significant downward trend.

Talking to reporters, Imran said by increasing the diesel prices the rulers had compounded financial problems of the common man.

“The new rulers are even worse than Shaukat Aziz, having no sympathy with the poor,” he alleged while advocating reduction in POL prices.