Peshawar: A bomb exploded on Sunday outside the home of a provincial minister in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar, with initial reports saying three people were wounded, police said.
The bomb detonated near the residence of Agriculture Minister Arbab Ayub Jan, who said the explosion took place just after visitors to his house had left by car. Three of the guests were injured.
"It was a remote-controlled device planted under a billboard near my house," Jan said.
"Perhaps those responsible thought I was in the car."
Senior police officer Mohammad Ejaz said, “We have rushed teams to find out details. Initial reports say that three people were wounded."
The minister belongs to the secular Awami National Party (ANP) whose leaders have in the past been the targets of militant attacks. The ANP leads the government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, of which Peshawar is the capital.
Northwestern Pakistan is plagued by bomb attacks blamed on Taliban-allied Islamist militants that have killed more than 4,200 people across the country since July 2007.
Sunday`s blast was the first since US Navy commandos killed al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in a covert operation in Pakistan a week ago.
Bureau Report
