North Pakistan blast death toll jumps to 17

The death toll of the powerful blast in Peshawar city of northern Pakistan on Sunday has raised to seventeen including four children and a women while over twenty others were injured. According to initial reports it was said that nine people were killed in the attack but hospital sources have confirmed that seventeen people had died and over twenty others were wounded in the attack. Three vehicles of the security forces have also been destroyed, as the convoy of the security vehicles was the target. A senior police official told that a powerful blast followed by heavy gun firing between the forces and the attackers near security forces convoy in the jurisdiction of Badabair Police Station killed seventeen people and injured around twenty that also included women and children. The wounded people included three paramilitary personnel and many civilians. A senior police official, Shafiullah Khan pointed out that the FC convoy was moving on Kohat road when a vehicle parked near a Gas station detonated. The Bomb Disposal Squad officials told that almost 40 kilograms of explosives were used in the car bomb attack. Security forces cordoned off the area immediately after the attack and the local media also reported an exchange of fire after the blast. Number of shops and vehicles parked around were also destroyed due to the powerful blast. The wounded people were shifted to the Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar where emergency has been imposed. The President, Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif have deeply condemned the attack and also prayed for the early recovery of those injured in the blast.