PESHAWAR, Jan 14: The city police on Sunday foiled a sabotage bid by defusing a time-bomb placed near the main gate of the meteorological office on Khyber road in the cantonment area.

The bomb weighing 1-1/2 kg was kept in a shopping bag, police said. A head constable, who was on duty at the premises of the Supreme Court registry opposite the Met office, spotted the bag. The bomb disposal squad reached the place and defused the bomb.

Police chief Malik Saad Khan confirmed that it was a time-devise placed by terrorists to disturb peace, adding that it was a locally-made bomb.

An FIR has been registered and police had started investigation, he said.

Nine explosions, including an incident of suicide bombing, occurred in the provincial capital during the last three months. The last blast hit the cantonment area near the Peshawar airport on Dec 25, which killed one person.

APP adds: The city police chief has announced a cash prize for head constable Murad Khan.