QUETTA: A bomb exploded in Ziarat in southwestern Pakistan's Balochistan province on Friday, DawnNews reported.

No casualties were reported in the explosion that took place near the district health office in the city.

The blast damaged buildings in the surrounding area and created panic among the residents.

A market was also situated nearby and was crowded at the time of the explosion.

Ziarat is situated in the province of Balochistan, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, and has been wracked by an insurgency waged by ethnic Baloch tribes seeking more political rights and a greater share of profits from the region’s natural resources.

Hundreds of people have died in violence ripping through the province since the insurgency flared in late 2004.

The region has also been hit by attacks blamed on Taliban militants.