Nine killed in blast in Pakistan`s Peshawar

Islamabad: At least nine people were killed and 35 injured when a suicide bomber hit a police vehicle in Pakistan`s Peshawar city Friday.

Superintendent of Police Faisal Kamran said the suicide bomber struck a police armoured vehicle when it was passing by Bhatta Tal market area, Xinhua reported. He said that though the policemen escaped the attack because of their bomb proof vehicle, many civilians lost their lives in the blast. Banaras Khan, deputy superintendent of police, said the police vehicle was on patrol when it came under attack in the market area bordering the tribal region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Shafqat Malik, an official from a bomb disposal squad, said the teenaged bomber in an estimated 10-kg suicide bomb vest was on foot when he attacked the vehicle. Ten of the injured people were admitted to Lady Reading hospital while the remaining were shifted to Hayatabad Medical Complex. Four shops, 10 vehicles and several fruit carts were destroyed in the blast in Sarband, about 10 to 15 km away from Peshawar city. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the blast and directed the hospital administration to provide the best possible medical treatment to the injured people. Shahidullah Shahid, spokesperson of the Pakistani Taliban, condemned the attack, saying that the militant group was not involved in any attack since it declared a one-month unilateral ceasefire March 1 to revive peace talks with the government.