Political leaders and international organizations around the world have rallied to condemn in strongest words the bomb attack Saturday night in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad that killed more than 50 people.

taken on Sept. 20, 2008 shows the damaged building of the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan. (Xinhua/Li Jingchen)

“No cause can justify the indiscriminate targeting of civilians,” Ban said. He also expressed his condolences to the families of the victims of the attack and to the government and people of Pakistan.

In Moscow, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev condemned the deadly terrorist attack, Itar-Tass news agency reported. “I am convinced that the perpetrators of this barbaric act will be found and duly punished,” he said.

“We reaffirm our readiness to deepen interaction with Pakistan in a bilateral format and in the framework of international efforts to deal with the threat of terrorism,” Medvedev added.

U.S. National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said that the attack is a “reminder of the threat we all face.”

“The United States will stand with Pakistan’s democratically elected government as they confront this challenge,” he said in a statement.

U.S. State Department spokesman Robert Wood reiterated on Monday that the United States would continue to work with Pakistan to counter South Asian terrorism.

“This is a long-term process …to root out extremism in this part of the world. It’s going to take time, but we’re going to be persistent in our efforts,” Wood told a news briefing.

China’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said that China condemned the attack and opposed terrorism of any kind.

“As a friendly neighbor and all-weather friend of Pakistan, China will continue to support the unremitting efforts of Pakistan’s government and people to maintain stability,” said Jiang.

European Union top diplomat Javier Solana denounced the deadly attack in a statement released Monday on the European Council’s website.

“I condemn in the strongest possible terms the despicable bomb attack in Islamabad, in which dozens of people were killed and dozens more were injured,” he said

NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer also joined the international chorus of condemnation over the incident and reiterated the alliance’s commitment to working with Pakistan to combat extremism.

“This grotesque attack, which has caused huge loss of life and great suffering, has no justification whatsoever,” said de Hoop Scheffer in a statement.

In a statement issued on Sunday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel blamed the bombing as brutal and “a contempt for mankind.”

“The battle against transnational terrorism remains a top priority for affected countries like Pakistan and the international community,” she said.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said in a statement that the use of violence and terror against innocent civilians must never be tolerated.

He added that the Canadian government continued to stand beside the government and people of Pakistan in their fight against extremism and terror.

Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg sharply denounced the terrorist attack in Islamabad and expressed sympathy to the victims’ families, the Czech news agency CTK reported.

The governments of New Zealand, Indonesia, Singapore, Australia Afghanistan, Syria and Egypt also voiced their condemnation over the attack.

A massive suicide truck bomb ripped through a luxury hotel in Islamabad Saturday night, killing more than 50 people, including Czech ambassador Ivo Zdarek, and wounding more than 250 others.

VietNamNet/Xinhuanet