<p>This was only the third occasion when a woman was involved in a suicide strike.<br />Though no group claimed responsibility for today's attacks, the Pakistani Taliban have earlier claimed that they have trained women and husband-and-wife teams to carry out suicide assaults.<br /><br />In the first attack, a bomb hidden in a cart parked on the roadside near Lahori Gate was detonated by remote control as a police van carrying 20 personnel was passing the area at around 7 a m. A group of schoolboys was passing through the area when the bomb went off.<br /><br />Five policemen and a 12-year-old boy were killed by the blast. The police van was destroyed, police officials said.<br /><br />Hours later, a woman suicide bomber lobbed a grenade at a police check post located a short distance from the site of the first blast and then blew herself up.<br /><br />DIG Shafqat Malik of the bomb disposal squad told reporters that the bomber's suicide vest malfunctioned and only part of it went off.<br /><br />The blast killed the bomber and a 60-year-old woman, police said. Police officials said the suicide bomber appeared to be about 16 or 17 years old.<br /><br />Though initial reports said the second woman was also a suspected suicide bomber, police officials later confirmed that no explosives were found on her body and that she was a passer-by. <br /><br />A total of 37 people, including 17 policemen, were injured in both attacks and officials at the Lady Reading Hospital said about eight of them were in a critical condition.<br />Ten shops were also damaged in the first blast.<br /><br />Police officials said the woman suicide bomber was unable to get close to any potential targets as security forces had cordoned off the Lahori Gate area after the first blast.<br />The blasts were the first terrorist attacks in Peshawar during the Islamic holy month of Ramzan and ended a relative lull in the city.<br /><br />The attack showed that militants retained the ability to strike almost at will despite army operations against them.<br /><br />Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani condemned the attacks in Peshawar and ordered law enforcement agencies to maintain vigilance and take every measure to protect the lives of citizens.<br /><br />There has been a spurt in militant attacks in Pakistan since US commandos killed al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden during a raid in Abbottabad in May.<br /><br />Since then, a paramilitary academy, a naval airbase, government buildings and a US consulate convoy have been attacked.<br /><br />In December last year, a burqa-clad bomber killed over 40 people in an attack on a UN food distribution centre in Bajaur tribal region.<br /><br />In June, the Pakistani Taliban claimed a couple carried out a suicide attack on a police station that killed 10 security personnel.</p>
<p>This was only the third occasion when a woman was involved in a suicide strike.<br />Though no group claimed responsibility for today's attacks, the Pakistani Taliban have earlier claimed that they have trained women and husband-and-wife teams to carry out suicide assaults.<br /><br />In the first attack, a bomb hidden in a cart parked on the roadside near Lahori Gate was detonated by remote control as a police van carrying 20 personnel was passing the area at around 7 a m. A group of schoolboys was passing through the area when the bomb went off.<br /><br />Five policemen and a 12-year-old boy were killed by the blast. The police van was destroyed, police officials said.<br /><br />Hours later, a woman suicide bomber lobbed a grenade at a police check post located a short distance from the site of the first blast and then blew herself up.<br /><br />DIG Shafqat Malik of the bomb disposal squad told reporters that the bomber's suicide vest malfunctioned and only part of it went off.<br /><br />The blast killed the bomber and a 60-year-old woman, police said. Police officials said the suicide bomber appeared to be about 16 or 17 years old.<br /><br />Though initial reports said the second woman was also a suspected suicide bomber, police officials later confirmed that no explosives were found on her body and that she was a passer-by. <br /><br />A total of 37 people, including 17 policemen, were injured in both attacks and officials at the Lady Reading Hospital said about eight of them were in a critical condition.<br />Ten shops were also damaged in the first blast.<br /><br />Police officials said the woman suicide bomber was unable to get close to any potential targets as security forces had cordoned off the Lahori Gate area after the first blast.<br />The blasts were the first terrorist attacks in Peshawar during the Islamic holy month of Ramzan and ended a relative lull in the city.<br /><br />The attack showed that militants retained the ability to strike almost at will despite army operations against them.<br /><br />Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani condemned the attacks in Peshawar and ordered law enforcement agencies to maintain vigilance and take every measure to protect the lives of citizens.<br /><br />There has been a spurt in militant attacks in Pakistan since US commandos killed al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden during a raid in Abbottabad in May.<br /><br />Since then, a paramilitary academy, a naval airbase, government buildings and a US consulate convoy have been attacked.<br /><br />In December last year, a burqa-clad bomber killed over 40 people in an attack on a UN food distribution centre in Bajaur tribal region.<br /><br />In June, the Pakistani Taliban claimed a couple carried out a suicide attack on a police station that killed 10 security personnel.</p>