The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Saturday strongly condemned the "heinous" terrorist attack on the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan.

"No cause can justify the indiscriminate targeting of civilians," Ban said in a statement through his spokesperson.

Ban expressed heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims of the attack and to the government and people of Pakistan.

At least 60 people died in a blast outside Marriott hotel in central Islamabad Saturday evening local time. Some 200 were wounded in the massive explosion.

(Xinhua News Agency September 21, 2008)