QUETTA: A blast in Quetta has injured 20 people including a policeman on Tuesday night, police said.

The Superintendent of Police Imran Qureshi, told Dawn.com that armed militants hurled a bomb at a shop in Prince Road area of Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan.

"The bomb exploded with a loud bang, causing panic among the people," he said.

The injured were rushed to nearby civil hospital for medical treatment where emergency was imposed to provide first aid to the injured. Qureshi said the blast also smashed the glass of nearby shops and markets in the area. The militants sped away on their motorcycle after the attack.

The shop was decorated with national flags for Independence Day when attacked. Prince Road is considered to be one of the commercial hubs of Quetta city. The road was at its busiest when the bomb exploded, police said.

In spite of tight security and deployment of paramilitary troops, the blast took place in the heart of the city.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. However, police suspect Baloch insurgents could be behind the attack.