12 killed, 14 injured in Pakistan car bomb blast

ISLAMABAD: A powerful car bomb went off in a crowded market on the outskirts of Peshawar city in northwest Pakistan today, killing 12 people and injuring 14 more.

The explosives were planted in a pick-up truck that was parked at the market in Mattani area.

State-run Radio Pakistan reported that 12 people were killed and 14 injured by the blast.

The injured were taken to hospitals in Peshawar. Officials at the Lady Reading Hospital said they a child was among the injured. They described the condition of six of the wounded as serious.

The pick-up truck was destroyed by the blast. Footage on television showed the mangled remains of the vehicle. The powerful explosion damaged several cars and shops. The market was crowded at the time of the blast, witnesses said.

Police said over 40 kg of explosives were used in the attack.

No group claimed responsibility for the attack though such incidents are usually blamed on the Pakistani Taliban.

President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the blast and expressed sorrow at the loss of lives.

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Masood Kausar and Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti too condemned the attack.