Islamabad: At least 17 people were killed and over 34 injured on Friday afternoon when a blast hit a bus carrying government employees in Pakistan’s northwest city of Peshawar, an official said.
Sahibzada Andes, commissioner of Peshawar, said the blast took place at 12.30 p.m. when a bomb exploded inside the bus which was on its way back from Peshawar to Charsadda, a neighbouring town, 20 km north of Peshawar.
Bomb disposal squad officers said the bomb was placed inside a carton which was kept under the back seats of the bus and it was detonated through a time device.
An estimated six to eight kg of explosives were used in the bomb, they said.
The bus was severely damaged following the blast. There were at least 50 people in the bus when the blast occurred, media reports said.
The people in the bus were employees working for the civil secretariat in Peshawar. Some of the injured were brought to Peshawar’s Lady Reading Hospital while others were shifted to the district headquarters hospital in Charsadda. Hospital sources said some of the injured were in critical condition and the death toll may rise further. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet. (IANS)
Militants fire at helicopter in quake-hit area of Pakistan
Islamabad: An army helicopter carrying relief goods to earthquake-hit areas in Pakistan’s Balochistan province was on Friday fired at by suspected militants.
Security sources said small arms were used to target the helicopter in Mashkay area of Awaran district, which is among the areas most affected by a 7.7-magnitude quake.
The helicopter was not damaged in the attack, the sources said. This was the second attack on an army helicopter in the area.
On Thursday, two rockets were fired at a helicopter carrying the two army generals, including the head of the National Disaster Manage-ment Authority. The helicopter did not sustain any damage.(PTI)