Many tenants were stranded in the building as it caught fire after the blast and later were evacuated by the local people. According to NWFP Inspector General Malik Naveed, all the trapped people in the building have been evacuated.

More than 20 shops and several cars were destroyed due to the blast and fire. Heavy black smoke caused by the fire surrounded the blast site and created hurdles in relief activities.

The relief teams including Fire Brigade and police and ambulances arrived on the spot. The injured are being rushed to the nearby Lady Reading Hospital.

Police have also cordoned off the area while the firefighters are engaged in extinguishing fire.

The University Road area is a commercial site, where many offices including those of lawyers and custom agencies and handicraft shops are situated at this plaza.

Pakistan has been suffering almost daily attacks in recent days. At least 36 people, including a major general, a brigadier, a colonel, two lieutenant colonels, two majors, three soldiers and 17 children, were killed and 83 others were injured when two Taliban suicide bombers, aided by two gunmen, ripped through a mosque in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, during Friday prayers.