Islamabad: A major explosion last night (Oct 28, 2004) rocked a five star hotel in the high-security zone in Islamabad, close to the residences of Pakistan President and Prime Minister, injuring seven persons, including an Italian, but the Government ruled out terrorist involvement in the blast.

While local TV networks and the state-run PTV showed footage of widespread devastation, Information Minister Sheikh Rashid and Interior (Home) Minister Aftab Sherpao said the explosion was caused by short circuit and not by bomb.

The two insisted that nobody was killed.

While Rashid appeared on the TV networks to deny that it was a bomb explosion Sherpao told the media at the damaged hotel premises that it is an "eminent" case of short circuit.

"There is no evidence of terrorist involvement. It is apparently caused short circuit," he said.

The Interior Minister said an Italian was among the wounded. Doctors at a Government hospital said seven people were injured in the blast.

Meanwhile a US State Department official said in Washington that an American diplomat was slightly wounded in the explosion at the Marriott hotel in Pakistan's capital where 11 staffers from the US embassy in Islamabad were having an evening meal.

The diplomat, an assistant regional security officer, was not in danger and none of the other embassy personnel were wounded, the official said on condition of anonymity.