A newly married couple died when a gas cylinder exploded in a house in Islamabad where they were sleeping after their wedding, police said.
An additional six people – including wedding guests and family members – who were staying there were also killed in the blast. More than a dozen people were injured.
The explosion occurred at 07:00 local time on Sunday (02:00 GMT), causing the roof to collapse.
Parts of the walls were blown away, leaving piles of bricks, large concrete slabs and furniture scattered on the floor. Injured people were trapped under the rubble and had to be carried on stretchers by rescue workers.
Emergency workers said the explosion was caused by a gas leakage, which filled the room and then exploded. Three neighboring houses were also destroyed.
The chairman of Pakistan’s Senate, Yusuf Raza Gilani, called it “a heartbreaking incident that turned celebrations into mourning”.
Hanif Masih, the groom’s father, said that his son had been married the previous day, and the newlywed couple, along with family members and guests, were sleeping at home at the time of the explosion.
Masih said everyone went to sleep around 03:00 local time on Sunday (22:00 GMT on Saturday), and woke up to the destruction.
Along with his son, his daughter-in-law, wife, and sister-in-law were all killed.
According to the police, they have cordoned off the area and are investigating the circumstances of the shooting. Forensic officers in white suits were sent to comb through the debris.
Deputy police commissioner Sahibzada Yousaf told local media that sniffer dogs and advanced technology were being used to ensure that everyone was rescued from the rubble.
Many Pakistani households use liquefied petroleum gas cylinders for fuel and cooking. Gas cyclinders have been implicated in other fatal accidents caused by gas leaks.
Gilani expressed concern over the explosion and said more needs to be done to prevent “unsafe use of gas cylinders”.
“Such incidents demand that the relevant departments take their responsibilities seriously and ensure safety measures,” he said in a statement reported by local media.