PESHAWAR: A remote-controlled explosion occurred in Peshawar’s Badbher area Monday where the funeral prayer of slain Awami National Party (ANP) leader Mian Mushtaq Ahmed was scheduled to be held today, leaving one policeman injured, DawnNews reported.

According to the police, security arrangements were being made in Badbher’s Sulemankhel area in the suburbs of Peshawar for the funeral prayers of Mushtaq Ahmed.

A police mobile was transporting a walkthrough gate to be installed at a location when the explosion occurred. Subsequently, one policeman was injured.

Later, speaking to media representatives, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Badbher Faisal Wahid said two to two and a half kilograms of explosives were used in the making of the bomb that triggered the explosion. He said a search operation was underway in the area and 10 to15 suspects had been detained, adding that security was beefed up in the locality.

The funeral prayer for Mushtaq Ahmed will be offered at 2 pm today.

On Sunday, unknown gunmen shot dead ANP’s Mian Mushtaq along with two others in Peshawar, hours after a bomb attack in another part of the region killed five.

The five were killed in two roadside bombs targeting Amir Muqam of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) party. The men killed in the Martoong area of Swat valley, which the Taliban controlled from 2007-2009, were members of Muqam's security detail.

Bomb Disposal Unit defuses 20kg bomb

The Bomb Disposal Unit (BDU) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Monday thwarted an attempt of terrorism by defusing a 20kg bomb planted in the Bana Mari area of Peshawar.

According to Additional Inspector General BDU, Shafqat Malik, the explosive device was planted in Bana Mari area when some passerby saw it and informed the police.

He said the BDU officials successfully defused the bomb which, if exploded, would have caused huge damage.