PESHAWAR, April 9: Suspected militants on Tuesday fired seven mortar shells from the tribal area on Hayatabad area of Peshawar, injuring 22 people and damaging several houses and vehicles.

According to officials of Tatara police station, mortar shells landed in streets F6, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 17 at Phase 7 of Hayatabad and injured the people inside their houses.

The residents of other houses stepped out fearing more attacks.

The official said all injured people were shifted to Hayat Medical Complex, where three of them were stated to be in critical condition.

He said of the injured, a child and a woman had been referred to different wards.

Identified among the injured were Mushtaq, Abid Jamil, Mohammad Sadiq, Saeed Akbar, Gul Wali and Jamshed.

Rockets attacks by suspected militants are increasing in Peshawar causing unrest among the people.

Four rockets had landed on Canal Road on Monday and one in Hayatabad. Earlier on Tuesday, suspected militants blew up a CD shop at main Stadium Chowk in Peshawar Saddar area.

However, the attack didn’t cause any harm to human life. Owner of the shop Bismillah told Dawn that he was home when some people informed him about the attack.

“I have been operating two CD shops in the area for around six years but never received any threats,” he said.

He said some people in Bilour Plaza had received threatening letters and that they had apprised police of them leading to the beefing up of the security in the area.

The shop’s owner said he lived on Kohat Road and usually reached the workplace late in the morning.

“This morning, my workers informed me about the blast and then I rushed to the place. The blast damaged the shop and all valuable items. It was my good luck that it was too early and there was no human being on the premises,” he said.

The blast also smashed the windowpanes of all nearby shops. Owner of juice shop said he used to come early in the morning but he saw no one planting the explosives.

An official of Gulberg police station said the blast took place early in the morning and that was why there was no report of casualties.

He said around 200 grammes explosives had been used in the blast.

“It was a time device planted near the gate of the shop,” he said.

The official said police could not take action against attackers because the mortar shells were fired from tribal area.

He said a case against unidentified attackers had been registered.