Peshawar suicide attack kills six: Officials

PESHAWAR: A suicide bomber blew himself up in Peshawar on Wednesday, killing at least six people including a senior police officer, officials said.

The blast ripped through a congested part of the city, leaving blood and body parts in the street.

Police official Badshah Khan said the bomber, who was on foot, targeted the vehicle of senior investigator Hilal Haider, killing him and a number of his colleagues.

Another officer, Asif Iqbal, told AFP there were six dead including four policemen.

Hospital officials and senior administration official Habibullah Arif said more than 30 people were wounded and some were in critical condition.

Witness Amin Khan described the moment the bomber struck.

“I was in a rickshaw, going to the local market to purchase tea for my shop,” he said.

“Suddenly a deafening blast shook the area. My rickshaw was overturned. When I came out I saw smoke and dust had covered the blast site,” he said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, which came as news of US President Barack Obama’s re-election emerged. Washington is a key focus for the anger of militants in Pakistan.

During his first term as president, Obama ramped up the campaign of drone strikes in northwest Pakistan against militants said to be planning attacks against America and its forces in Afghanistan.

Suicide and bomb attacks blamed on Islamist insurgents have killed more than 5,200 people since July 2007 across Pakistan.