One person was killed in a suicide blast in Peshawar's Hayatabad area when the bomber targeted a vehicle carrying civil judges on Wednesday.
Civil Judge Asif Jadoon and three female judges of the lower judiciary were travelling in an official car in Hayatabad's Phase 5 area when an attacker on a motorcycle struck the front of the vehicle and exploded, killing the driver and injuring the four judges.
The Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility for the attack.
A total of six persons were injured in the explosion and subsequently moved to the Hayatabad Medical Complex. An emergency was imposed at the hospital.
“About 15 kg of explosive was used in the suicide bomb blast targeting a van carrying Civil Judge Asif Jadoon and other judicial staff in Hayatabat Township,” said Peshawar police chief Tahir Khan.
The blast occurred as officials from the provincial government were expected to inaugurate the Out Patient Department (OPD) at the Hayatabad Medical Complex. Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and other senior party leaders were expected to attend the ceremony.
The Peshawar Development Authority office, the Shaukat Khanum Hospital, educational institutions, and several private and government offices are located in the area.
Second suicide attack in a day
Earlier in the day, at least three personnel of the Khasadar force and two civilians were killed in a suicide attack in Mohmand Agency's Ghalanai tehsil on Wednesday, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.
A security officer stands alert at the site of a bombing in Ghalanai area of Mohmand.—AP.
Three others were injured in the attack, sources in the political administration said.
A suicide bomber had tried to enter a housing colony of the local political administration. When he was stopped by Khasadar personnel, the militant blew himself up outside the main gate of the colony, the sources said.
The proscribed Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (JA) group claimed responsibility for the Mohmand attack in a statement emailed to journalists.
