The officials said the deceased also included the bride and the groom.
According to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) spokesperson Dr Aneeza Jalil, six bodies and 11 injured people were brought to the hospital, where the injured were being provided medical treatment.
She told that an emergency was imposed in Pims after the incident on the directives of Executive Director (ED) Dr Rana Imran Sikander.
One of the injured was being treated at the hospital’s burns centre as he had sustained 20 per cent burn injuries, she said.
Meanwhile, Islamabad Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Sahibzada Yusuf reached the site of the incident after the explosion on the directives of Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon.
He said while speaking to the media that at least four houses had been damaged by the explosion and confirmed that the deceased included the bride and the groom.
Moreover, he told media persons that apart from the bodies and injured taken to Pims, two other bodies and an injured person were taken to the Capital Hospital.
The explosion occurred at a wedding venue, where guests were also present, he said, adding that all those trapped had been rescued from the rubble by means of “advanced technology”.
The rescue team was conducting further checks using specialised equipment, ADC Yusuf said, further stating that an inquiry had been ordered to determine the exact cause of the explosion. However, he added, the incident seemed to be that of a cylinder explosion.
Hanif Masih, the father of the deceased groom, said while speaking to the media that his son’s wedding was held on Saturday and they had reached home late yesterday night.
“At the time of the incident (explosion), I was present at home but sleeping in a separate room adjacent to the house. I woke up after hearing a loud explosion and rushed to the place of the incident, but by that time everything had already been destroyed,” he said.
He said apart from his son and daughter-in-law, his sister-in-law was also among the deceased, and his daughter and other family members were admitted to the hospital.
Masih, excused from speaking any further, saying that he was overcome with grief.
A statement issued by the Senate Secretariat said that Senate Chairman Yusuf Raza Gilani had expressed grief over the incident that took place “during a wedding”.
He expressed sorrow over the loss of lives and extended condolences to the families of the deceased.
“This is a heart-wrenching incident that turned celebrations into mourning for a family,” the statement quoted him as saying, adding that he expressed concern over gas cylinder explosions.
“Such incidents demand that relevant departments fulfil their responsibilities seriously and ensure safety measures,” he said, stressing the need for an effective strategy to curb the “unsafe use of gas cylinders”. In this connection, he called for ensuring compliance with laws and educating the public about safety measures.
Authorities launched an inquiry to determine the exact cause of the explosion, while the Islamabad deputy commissioner directed senior officials to oversee rescue and relief efforts at the site are nearly complete after six hours.
The Chairman CDA Muhammad Ali Randhawa confirmed that the incident occurred due to a gas leak. "Eight casualties have been reported so far, but none of the injured are in critical condition," he added.
The explosion, Randhawa noted, is a type of incident that sometimes occurs in winter, and he urged citizens not to use gas at night. "One injured person has been shifted to the burn centre, and the CDA is supporting affected families," he said.
He praised the prompt start of the rescue operation and said authorities would prevent residents from staying in homes with structural cracks.
Responding to questions about illegal constructions, he said it was not the time to assign blame, but added that unauthorised buildings would be reviewed as part of the investigation.
The Chairman confirmed that the Prime Minister and Interior Minister have been briefed and that an official inquiry has begun. “Our current focus is entirely on rescue and relief efforts,” he said.
On the instructions of the Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, the scope of the investigation has been expanded. Investigators are taking statements from the bomb disposal squad, forensic teams, CDA rescue personnel, and building control officials. The site has been fully sealed, and teams have begun collecting all evidence.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief over the loss of lives and wished a speedy recovery for the injured. He directed health authorities to ensure the best possible medical care and ordered the Interior Secretary to conduct a full investigation.
PM Shehbaz offered prayers for the deceased and extended condolences to their families, while urging the Islamabad administration to raise awareness on gas cylinder safety.
Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and conveyed sympathy to all affected by the incident. The minister has directed authorities to ensure that the injured receive the highest standard of medical care.
The incident comes amid a series of gas-related accidents reported in recent weeks. On January 8, three separate explosions caused by gas leakage and fire were reported in different areas of Rawalpindi, killing a three-month-old baby and injuring four others, including two women.
Earlier, on December 17, a woman was killed and 14 people, including children, were injured when roofs and walls of three houses collapsed following a liquefied petroleum gas cylinder explosion in the Labour Colony area of Larkana. The blast also damaged neighbouring houses, and Yasmeen, the wife of a resident, Qurban Mugheri, died in the incident.