Islamabad and Rawalpindi on Sunday, killing at least 70 people and wounding more than 850, doctors and officials said.
Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Wasim Sajjad told Parliament at least S8 people were killed but hospitals put the known death toll at 70 and feared it would go higher.
Doctors said many of the wounded were in critical condition.
Hundreds of missiles crashed into parts of Islamabad and Rawalpindi for about an hour after the first blast at the arms depot in Orji Army Camp, midway between the Twin Cities, witnesses said.
Most of the casualties were caused by exploding missiles. One doctor said: “Some bodies were brought in three to four pieces”.
The government ordered three days of mourning and official’s said President Mohammad ZiaulHaq was cutting short a visit to Kuwait for meeting of Islamic leaders and returning home.
Sajjad said the arsenal explosion was accidental.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 15, 1988
