Seven people have been killed as gunmen in Pakistan torched over 50 trucks which were heading to Nato forces in Afghanistan.

Taliban fighters often attack trucks carrying supplies to US-led forces in Pakistan's northwest and southwest borders with Afghanistan, but this is the first such attack near the capital Islamabad and is unprecedented.

Police said ten to 12 gunmen attacked the trucks which were parked at a depot in Tarnol.

Police official Ghulam Mustafa said: "Seven people were killed and more than 50 trucks were set on fire."

Shah Nawaz from Tarnol police station said: "The attack took place around 11.35 pm (local time) and we are still trying to find out how this attack has happened. The attackers walked into the depot and started indiscriminate firing."

The Taliban has unleashed a wave of suicide bombings across Pakistan in retaliation for military offensives on their strongholds in the northwest, and this latest attack further underlines the growing insecurity in the region.