A powerful car bomb exploded outside an American fast food outlet located in a government building in a high-security area of the Pakistani port city of Karachi on Tuesday, killing six people and injuring 14 besides damaging the restaurant and two luxury hotels nearby. A lesser-known group called 'Baluchistan National Army' claimed responsibility for the blast, which took place ahead of the international donors' conference in Islamabad on November 19 at which United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan is also expected to participate to raise $ 5.2 billion needed for reconstruction of quake-hit areas of North West Frontier Province and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

The blast, which occurred around 9:25 AM, nearly destroyed the KFC outlet located in a government building and caused damage to two luxury hotels - Pearl Continental and Sheraton - situated in the vicinity besides a number of banks and commercial offices. Sindh Home Minister, Abdur Rauf Siddiqui, and a relief group called Edhi put the death toll at six. But Inspector General Police of Karachi, Asad Jehangir confirmed two deaths. KFC outlets in Karachi have experienced frequent bomb attacks by al-Qaeda and its affiliated groups in the past, which caused extensive damage to life and property. The BNA surprised security agencies in Islamabad by claiming responsibility for the blast.

Shakir Alam, claiming to be the spokesman for the group, phoned media organisations in Karachi and claimed responsibility for the blast. He warned that such attacks would continue unless problems of south-western Balochistan province are resolved.

Jehangir said that five kilogrammes of locally made explosives was used in the car bomb blast. He, however did not blame any group for the blast and hoped that the police will find clues. Witnesses said the casualties were less as the explosion occurred when the people were heading to offices and shops and were not inside KFC. This is the first time that BNA has claimed responsibility for any blast outside Baluchistan where the Baloch nationalist groups were agitating against Pakistan army's cantonments and demanding autonomy for the province.

In the past, the group had also claimed responsibility for attacks on government buildings and blasts in Balochistan. Local police said they were investigating BNA claims. However, Pakistan Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed declined to attach importance to such claims, saying that outfits like BNA try to gain credibility through such attacks. Police, who got vital clues, were investigating the case keeping all aspects in mind. The aim of those who carried out the bombing could be either to discredit the image of Pakistan ahead of the international donors' conference or to disrupt the one-day match to be played in Karachi between England [Images] and Pakistan, he told reporters in Islamabad. Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman, Shahryar Khan, said the match would be held as scheduled and Islamabad would provide top security to English players.

A US officials' team comprising Under Secretary Karen Hughes and Assistant Secretary of State Christina Rocca arrived in Islamabad on Monday and held talks with President Pervez Musharraf [Images], who has convened the donors' conference. Pakistan, so far, has received pledges to the tune of $ 2.4 billion. India, which has pledged 25 million dollars for reconstruction, has also been invited to take part in the conference along with over 70 other countries. Karachi, the biggest commercial city of Pakistan, has been the scene of several bomb attacks in the past. In September, several people were wounded when a KFC and a MacDonald restaurant were bombed. In May, six people were killed when protesters set fire to a KFC outlet in the city, during clashes between religious groups.