At least two people are feared to have been killed and 10 others wounded by a remotely controlled bomb planted at a restaurant in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad.

A Turkish woman was believed to be among the dead from the blast, which occurred at Luna Capresa in the city centre at about 8.40pm (0340 GMT) on Saturday night.

A police officer said: "At least 10 people have been injured and one wall of the restaurant has partly collapsed."

He said that most of the casualties were foreigners who had been dining in the garden of the Italian restaurant. A large crater indicated it was not a suicide bomber.

Sources said the wounded included an American diplomat as well as a member of staff from the British High Commission in Pakistan, two Japanese, a German, an Italian and a Canadian.

An employee told one news agency: "There are lots of injured people who have lost their limbs and legs.

"It's a very bad situation. We don't know what has happened."

Al Jazeera's correspondent Kamal Hyder said the explosion was so loud that it was heard all over the neighboring areas.

"The critical injuries received by the people inside the restaurant suggest the death toll could rise," he reported.

"It was planted at the back where the garden is situated. Behind the restaurant is a deserted lane.

"In this city, there have been very rare attacks on public places. This has been an unprecedented attack because so far there has been no attack on restaurants."

PHOTO CAPTION 

 Pakistani police stand outside the site of a bomb explosion in Islamabad March 15, 2008.

Al-Jazeera