In a horrific incident reported from the northern Punjab town of Gujjar Khan, a baker by profession, Ghulam Mohammad, has confessed in a letter written to the police that he killed his wife and seven children late on Friday night.

The killer himself is reported to have left immediately for the tribal areas, where he hopes to evade capture.

According to locals in the area, Ghulam Mohammad, "an ordinary man who ran a small outlet selling baked goods", had recently lost a large sum while gambling. There is no evidence that he was disturbed by this or that he gave any indication of the drastic action he was planning to take.

In his letter, the murderer said, "I am too poor to support my large family and have decided to put them to sleep". Those killed included five daughters, ranging in age from three to 13 years and two sons, aged eight and six years.

The victims were first given a poison to render them unconscious, and their throats were then cut. According to some accounts, Ghulam Mohammad also wrote in his letter to the local police chief, "I had prayed for the death of my children but then decided to do it myself."

There is no indication that Ghulam Mohammad's mental condition was seriously disturbed until the event. A hunt is on to locate him and prevent him from reaching the tribal areas.

Several previous incidents have been reported in which parents, usually fathers, citing poverty, have killed their children. However, this appears to be one of the most brutal and has badly shaken people in the area. Police discovered the bodies on Saturday, but have not found a motive for the crime until the letter from the killer arrived.