PESHAWAR: At least five people were killed and 33 injured when a powerful bomb exploded in the busy commercial area of Nishtarabad Chowk along the GT Road in Peshawar on Monday night.Capital City Police Officer Imtiaz Altaf told Dawn that explosives attached to a motorcycle had been detonated through a remote control.

He said police had information about a possible motorcycle bomb attack at another place, but terrorists failed to reach there and exploded the bomb at the CD Centre in Nishtarabad Chowk.The CCPO said there was no high-profile target, but terrorists wanted to create panic among people.

“We have taken all possible steps to protect people and set up checkpoints at several places, but it is impossible to deploy policemen at all places in the entire district,” he said.

The incharge of the bomb disposal unit, AIG Shafqat Malik, told Dawn that about 8-10 kilograms of explosives had been used in the blast.

Police cordoned off the entire area after the blast and rescuers took the injured to the Lady Reading Hospital.

Lady Reading Hospital’s Chief Executive Dr Rahim Jan Afridi said five bodies and 30 injured people had been brought there.One woman was among the dead and five were women and two children among the injured.

“The death toll may go up because condition of some of the injured is critical,” a hospital source said.

A police official of the area said the main target of terrorists was the CD-cum-music centre, adding that the blast damaged 25 shops. The bombing also destroyed several cars and motorcycles parked in the area.

In the heavily-populated area of Nishtarabad, people faced hardship in searching for their relatives and loved-ones after the bombing. After the bombing, the main GT Road was closed for some time for movement of fire engines, ambulances and security vehicles.—Ali Hazrat Bacha