MARDAN, Dec 20: The police on Thursday morning foiled an attempt to blow up CD shops and internet cafes in the Takhtbai bazaar by removing and defusing an explosive device.

Officials said that some miscreants had planted an explosive device in the China Market in the bazaar to blow up CD shops and internet cafes, but the police foiled the attempt by removing the device and defusing it.

A watchman of the market, Ihsanullah, had informed the police after he saw suspected material placed in a ghee tin near the CD shops and net cafes.

Sources said that if the explosive device had gone off, it would have destroyed the entire market.

The police have registered a case and started investigations.