Islamabad - Six people died from their injuries Friday, the day after twin suicide bombings at Pakistan's largest arms and ammunition factory, hospital authorities said, as investigators interrogated at least a dozen suspects.

The latest casualties raised the death toll to 70 in the two synchronised attacks at the gates of the Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF) in the garrison town of Wah Cantonment, 30 kilometres north-west of Islamabad.

Three suspects were rounded up in the area shortly after the bombers blew themselves up among hundreds of POF workers as they left the sprawling complex on Thursday after a shift change.

London, Aug. 22 : A British Army commander deployed in war-ravaged Afghanistan has said that it is difficult to beat the Taliban without adequate reinforcements.

In an interview with The Independent ahead of Prime Minister Gordon Brown''s visit to Afghanistan’s Helmand Province, Brigadier Mark Carleton-Smith said: "We are probably still on a growth trajectory before we get to the stage when the UK presence can begin to thin out."

The commander of 16 Air Assault Brigade estimated it would be up to five years before Britain could consider dropping troop numbers.

Islamabad, Aug. 22 : The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has a short while ago announced that the next presidential election will be held on Sept. 6. The need for the election arose after the resignation of Pervez Musharraf on Monday

Election Commission Secretary Kanwar Dilshad said the nomination paper will be received from Aug. 26, and the polling will take place from 10 a. m. to 3 p. m. on Sept 6 at provincial and national assemblies simultaneously, a Pakistani TV channel quoted Dilshad as saying.

Karachi  - The Pakistani rupee on Friday hit a record low for the second time in a month following continued political turmoil and the deteriorating security situation, traders said.

The rupee fell to an all-time low of 77.10 against the US dollar in the open market as parliamentary coalition partners are increasingly at odds over reinstating superior court judges deposed by former president Pervez Musharraf last year.

A powerful suicide bombing at a military industrial compound on Thursday that killed at least 70 people has accelerated the crisis of confidence already gripping the markets as businessmen raced to buy foreign currencies fearing a further slide in the rupee.

Islamabad  - Pakistan's fractured ruling alliance was set to hold a crucial meeting on Friday afternoon, a day after a major partner threatened to quit if the reinstatement of judges dismissed by former president Pervez Musharraf was further delayed.

"It is an all-important meeting and it will determine the future of the coalition. We hope something positive should come out of this," said Siddiqul Farooq, a spokesman for the Pakistan-Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the second-largest party in the alliance.

Wah (Pak), Aug 22: The Pakistan’s unit of the Taliban, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has reportedly claimed the responsibility for yesterday’s blast in Wah locality in Pakistan tribal areas, and warned of more similar attacks in near future.

The terrorist organization also threatened to carry out further suicide attacks if an Army offensive against militants was not stopped.

A TTP spokesman said: “Our bombers carried out today’s attack. It is in reaction to military operations in Swat and Bajaur.”