Nine killed, sixty injured in an explosion in Peshawar

Islamabad, Jan 27 (UNI) At least nine people, including two police officials, were killed and another sixty injured in an explosion in Northwestern Pakistan tonight.

Pakistan's private Geo TV quoted senior officials as saying that the explosion took place minutes ahead of the start of a Shiite mourning process in Dhaki Dalgaran area of densely populated Qissa Khuwani Bazar of Peshawar, capital of the Northwestern Frontier Province (NWFP).

Witnesses said majority of those killed and injured in the blast were police and law enforcement officials, who were deployed in the area to provide security cover to the mourning process.

Many believed that it was a suicide attack and the bomber blew himself up on reaching close to police contingent. But provincial government officials refused to give any confirmation in this regard.

Those killed in the blast included city chief police Malik Muhammad Saad and Deputy Superintendent of police Khan Razzik.

This is the second act of terror since yesterday. A suicide attack near parking area of Marriott hotel in Islamabad had killed both the bomber and a security guard.

The bomber had blown himself up after he was stopped by the guard to enter the hotel.

The explosion ripped through Dalragan area despite a high alert, already declared by the provincial government to prevent possible acts of terror in NWFP during the ongoing month of Muharram.

UNI