PESHAWAR: A police official was killed and six others were wounded in a suicide blast in northwestern Pakistan’s Mardan town on Saturday.

The explosion took place in the city's Katlang bazaar and DIG Mardan Jaffar Khan confirmed it was a suicide attack.

The bomber had initially lobbed a hand grenade at police personnel standing outside a police station in the area, sources told Dawn.com, adding that upon being chased by the personnel, the bomber blew himself up.  Moreover, the bomber had an accomplice who managed to flee and the police had started a search for him.

Mardan lies around 50 kilometres northeast of Peshawar, which is on the edge of Pakistan’s lawless tribal belt, known as a haunt of Taliban and Al Qaeda linked militants.