A massive explosion struck Peshawar's five-star Pearl Continental Hotel, located in the cantonment area of the capital of North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), on June 9. Initial estimates have reported 7 killed and as many as 50 wounded, according to NDTV. But the number of casualties will likely increase. Witnesses reported hearing gunfire from heavy weapons (something bigger than the usual AK-47 Kalashnikovs), followed five minutes later by the blast. The explosion severely damaged the hotel, which is in a high-security zone near the Peshawar High Court, Governor House and NWFP legislative building. A four-floor section of the building reportedly has collapsed and the remainder is engulfed in flames, while power and telecommunications networks in the area have been disrupted. Attackers were able to storm through the security features on the hotel grounds; the blast appears to have occurred near the hotel's central entrance. One vehicle carried an improvised explosive device (believed to be some 1,100 pounds of C-4) while another transported the gunmen, who were reportedly wearing security uniforms. Scores of vehicles -- several belonging to U.N. personnel -- in the hotel compound were destroyed.

Many foreigners and government officials are believed to have been in the building, which is owned by Sadruddin Hashwani, who also owns the Marriott franchise in country. The U.S. government was going to acquire the Pearl Continental to house a new, highly secure U.S. consulate. Given the circumstances and the target, this is likely the work of Baitullah Mehsud's faction of the Pakistani Taliban, which is both responding to the Swat counterjihadist operation and trying to prevent or at least delay a similar future offensive on Mehsud's turf in the Waziristan region. Considering that the hotel was in a high security zone, the jihadists likely had inside help from local security forces. Since this attack took place in the vicinity of the NATO supply route into Afghanistan, supplies could be disrupted for some time.

An attack on a civilian target will lead to a certain degree of increased public support for the government's counterinsurgency operations. Such attacks are to be expected, and more are likely to follow as the battle between Islamabad and jihadists intensifies.