25 killed as blast hits funeral prayers in NW Pakistan

ASTANA. March 9. KAZINFORM At least 25 people were killed and 30 others injured on Wednesday in a blast during a funeral in northwest Pakistan, local police said, Xinhua reported. Kazinform refers to Trend News.

According to reports the blast took place during funeral prayers for pro-government Aman lashkar commander's wife in Matani, a small village in Adezai area, some 20km away from Peshawar, the capital city of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan.

Police said that it was a suicide blast. Hundreds of people were attending the funeral when the blast occurred, so the death toll may rise.

Rescue, law enforcement agencies and the bomb disposal squad reached the area. Police and law enforcement agencies have cordoned off the area while an emergency has been declared in Peshawar's hospitals.

Adezai is an historic village of Peshawar where the pro- government Aman lashkar was fighting against the Taliban. It has remained the target of terror activities for a long time. Kazinform cites Trend News. See www.en.trend.az