NOWSHERA, May 9: The under-construction mausoleum of famous poet and politician Ajmal Khan Khattak in Akora Khattak was blown up on Wednesday night and another explosion an hour later injured 12 people who had gathered at the place.

Mr Khattak, a former president of the Awami National Party, died in February 2010.

Police said it was widely believed that the explosion was the handiwork of Taliban who had earlier blown up shrines and mosques.

According to the bomb disposal squad, about 5kg of explosives were used. Police said three persons tied the watchman Ashrafuddin with a rope, placed the explosives near the mausoleum and blew them up.

Parts of the structure were badly damaged.Two policemen and two local journalists, Mahmoodul Hassan and Wakif, were among the 12 people who were injured in the second explosion.  Police dispersed the crowd and cordoned off the mausoleum.