The head of the Pakistan Army's medical services Lt Gen Mushtaq Beig was killed along with six others when a suicide bomber blew himself up near a car carrying senior Pakistan Army officers near the army headquarters in the garrison city of Rawalpindi on Monday.

The attack occurred on Mall Road, a busy commercial area in Rawalpindi located a short distance from the army's General Headquarters, at about 3 pm, eyewitnesses said.

Human body parts lay strewn all over the site of the blast, which was immediately cordoned off by army personnel. At least 10 vehicles were damaged in the blast, witnesses said.

It was not immediately clear whether the suicide bomber was on foot or in a car. Some reports said the bomber rammed his car into the army vehicle.

The loud blast was heard across the cantonment area in Rawalpindi, which has witnessed several suicide attacks on security personnel in the past few months. Several of the attacks occurred in the vicinity of the General Headquarters.