UN Pakistan offices shut after blast: spokeswoman

ISLAMABAD (AFP) – United Nations offices remained closed throughout Pakistan Tuesday after a suicide blast at the World Food Programme compound in Islamabad left five aid workers dead, a spokeswoman said.

The world body is reviewing its security measures after a man dressed in military uniform walked past cameras, metal detectors and guards and detonated explosives in the heavily-fortified office in the heart of the capital on Monday.

"We are assessing the security situation," said spokeswoman Ishrat Rizvi. "Today the offices are closed... we hope that the offices will be open soon."

Interior Minister Rehman Malik has blamed the blast on Taliban militants avenging a military push against them in northwest Swat valley, which was launched in late April and has left more than 2,000 militants dead. Related article: Blast shows Pakistan Taliban strength

He said the attacker managed to navigate the tough security by dressing in a paramilitary uniform and asking to use the toilet, thus managing to make it to the lobby to detonate about eight kilograms (17 pounds) of explosives.

Four Pakistanis and an Iraqi working for the WFP were killed.

Rizvi said their security team was assessing whether to reopen the offices on a day-by-day basis, but said they were committed to continuing their work.

"The closure of the offices will affect the operations but our effort and intention is to continue our humanitarian assistance," she told AFP.

No decisions had been taken yet over whether to remove any of about 2,000 UN staff working for at least 19 agencies across Pakistan.

The attack on a humanitarian target provoked worldwide outrage, with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon calling it "a terrible tragedy for the United Nations and the humanitarian community in Pakistan".

In New York, the UN Staff Union said in a statement it was "extremely concerned" that the world body had not implemented "all necessary safety and security arrangements to protect its staff."

It is the second time the UN community in Pakistan has been hit this year, with two employees from the refugee agency UNHCR and children's agency UNICEF killed in the June suicide bombing at a luxury hotel in northwest Peshawar.