Deadly Pakistani hotel bomb raises questions, fears

By Robert Birsel

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - A deadly suicide truck bomb attack in the heart of the Pakistani capital highlights security inadequacies and the urgent need to rethink strategy to combat surging militant violence, analysts said on Sunday.

A suicide bomber on Saturday evening set off a huge bomb at the gate of the tightly guarded Marriott Hotel, part of a U.S.-based chain and a favourite haunt of diplomats and rich Pakistanis.

Searchers combing through the burnt-out shell of the building found more charred bodies on Sunday taking the death toll to 53, among them three foreigners including the Czech ambassador.

More than 270 people were wounded in the worst militant attack in the capital of the nuclear-armed U.S. ally.

Pakistan's army is involved in a major offensive against al Qaeda and Taliban fighters in the Bajaur region on the Afghan border, while the U.S. military has intensified its attacks on militants on the Pakistani side of the border.

"The whole region is in some sort of turmoil. Every day there are casualties in military operations so this should not surprise anybody," said Masood Sharif, a former director general of the Intelligence Bureau civilian spy agency.

"The immediate future doesn't look good," he said.

The bombing bore the signs of an attack by al Qaeda or an affiliate, a U.S. intelligence official said.

Whoever was responsible, the message was clear.

"It's a very clear signal to the powers that be that nobody is safe," said Riffat Hussein, professor of defence studies at Islamabad's Quaid-e-Azam University.

"The fact it happened in the high security zone, which includes parliament where the president addressed a session a few hours earlier, underscores the ability of these groups to really challenge the authority of the state in the heart of the capital," he said.

"SYSTEM COLLAPSING"

What appeared to be a well-planned attack happened just after Muslims were breaking their Ramadan fast, when many security men protecting the city centre would have been taking their evening meal.

"Security was really at a minimum around that time," Hussein said. "Somebody had obviously taken a good look, what kind do security was in place and they were able to take advantage."

Defence analyst Ayesha Siddiqa said as well as a lapse in security, the bombing highlighted a breakdown in morale in the security system as a whole.