17 dead in two bomb attacks in Pakistan

In the south-western city of Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province, 10 people died and 37 were injured when a bomb went off near a passenger bus.

Four of the injured are in a critical condition.

The bomb was planted on a bicycle and exploded when the bus drove by, police officer Abdur Razzak Cheema said. Two vehicles carrying Pakistan troops had just passed by the site when the bomb exploded.

In north-western Pakistan, a suicide attacker blew himself up near a police armoured vehicle about 12 miles south of the city of Peshawar, killing seven people.

Senior police officer Mohammad Faisal said most of the dead were civilians but many police officers were among the 45 people left injured.

Mr Faisal said police had recently stepped up patrolling in the area due to threats from militants from the nearby Khyber tribal region. The Pakistani army has carried out several operations in Khyber, in an effort to rid the area of militants.

No-one immediately claimed responsibility for either incident.

The Pakistani Taliban, which operates in the north-west, is currently engaged in peace talks with the government. The group has announced a ceasefire but attacks claimed by its splinter groups have continued during the negotiations.

Meanwhile, a Pakistani court today issued another arrest warrant for former ruler Pervez Musharraf, although it gave him until March 31 to appear in court before the warrant would be carried out.