PESHAWAR: An explosive device went off near a banquet hall in Nishtar Abad area of the provincial capital on Friday, but there were no casualties, police said.

The blast took place around 4.30am near Haleem Banquet Hall located along GT Road, smashing its windowpanes and the buildings nearby, a police official at the Gulbahar police station told Dawn. He said that unidentified persons had planted an explosive device near the banquet hall that went off with a bang, but no one was hurt in the explosion.

The official said that according to the bomb disposal unit the explosives weighed around one kilogram, adding that motive behind the attack was not clear as the hall owner Haji Haleem had not informed police about any extortion threat.

The official said police had registered a case against unidentified persons and began investigation.

Such attacks have surged in the provincial capital in the recent past with an apparent aim to force victims to pay extortion money to criminals and militants.

Published in Dawn, July 4th, 2015

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