An explosion at a house following a wedding reception in Pakistan's capital Islamabad has killed at least eight people, police said on Sunday.

Local authorities said that the blast, which is believed to have been caused by a gas leak, took place as members of the wedding party gathered at a house in a residential area in the capital.

What do we know about the blast in Islamabad?

Pakistani news channel Geo News cited police in reports that the blast took place in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Both the bride and groom and other family members were killed in the incident, while two neighbors also died.

Government administrator, Sahibzada Yousaf, said that authorities had been alerted to the blast early on Sunday and that police officials were still investigating.

Yousaf said some nearby homes were also damaged and that routes in the area had been closed to help emergency services operate.

The official said an investigation to determine whether it was a gas cylinder or an explosion due to a gas leak, was currently underway.

Pakistan's PM expresses sorrow, orders full investigation

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his sorrow over the loss of lives and offered condolences to the victims' families, according to a statement issued by his office.

Sharif directed health authorities to ensure that victims of the blast received the best possible care and ordered a full investigation into the incident.

Many Pakistani households use gas cylinders due to low natural gas pressure in the piped supply. These cylinders have been linked to a number of deadly incidents caused by gas leaks.

Edited by: Karl Sexton