ISLAMABAD , Pakistan ( CNN ) -- A police officer was killed Monday in a suicide bombing at the gate of a police station in Islamabad , authorities said . The bombing took place at a police station in Pakistan 's capital , Islamabad . The explosion occurred on Pakistan Day , a national holiday . The bomber apparently walked up to the police station and blew himself up at its gate . The station houses a special intelligence-gathering branch of Islamabad police . Two people -- the suicide bomber and a police officer -- were killed , police told CNN . Pakistan 's GEO-TV reported three people were dead and 10 wounded in the blast . The blast blew the doors off the police branch and damaged a mosque adjacent to the building , according the network . `` Parts of the bodies , the human bodies , are spread around the area , '' GEO-TV 's Hamid Mir told CNN . The explosion was heard at CNN 's offices , 2 or 3 miles away . Members of the police branch housed in the building help protect government officials such as the prime minister , CNN 's Reza Sayah said , and with the explosion , someone is `` trying to send another message to the federal government here in Islamabad . '' Watch more on the bombing » . `` ( The blast ) underscores the acute security situation this government is facing , '' he said . If the blast was a suicide bombing , it would be the second in the area within a week , Mir said . On March 16 , a suicide attack targeted a bus station near Islamabad . The office targeted Monday is in a crowded area , said Mir , who added : `` This intelligence office is not secret . It 's a very well-known intelligence office . '' However , the area was not in a high-security zone , he said . Asked about the Pakistanis ' attitude toward these repeated attacks , Mir said public opinion in Pakistan was divided . `` Everybody 's against the terrorism , but they think the Americans also need to change their policies . They are in trouble after 9/11 . America is secure , but the people in Pakistan are not secure . '' CNN 's Ram Ramgopal contributed to this report .
A loud explosion has been heard in Islamabad , Pakistan 's capital . The blast was caused by a suicide bomber who blew himself up at the gate of an army base near the city center. Blast came as Pakistanis celebrated their national day .