<p>The bomber, who came to the court complex in a rickshaw, tried to flee when he was challenged by police, said North West Frontier Province Senior Minister Bashir Bilour.<br />He blew himself up when police fired at him, the minister told reporters at the site of the blast.<br /><br />Five persons were killed in the blast, Bilour said. Nearly 50 injured people were taken to nearby hospitals.<br /><br />Doctors said six of them were in a serious condition.<br /><br />Several policemen, lawyers and passers-by were among the injured. Bilour said there would have been more casualties if the bomber had managed to enter the sessions court complex on Jail Road, a high-security area.<br /><br />To a question about claims that India and the US were behind such attacks, he said, "no Americans or RAW agents are carrying out these blasts".<br /><br />The sessions court complex is located a short distance from a hostel for provincial legislators, Peshawar Museum, provincial home department, Central Jail and Governor's House. <br /><br />The explosion sparked a fire that destroyed the auto-rickshaw used by the bomber and several cars.<br /><br />An official of the bomb disposal squad said investigators had found the head and body parts of the bomber and parts of the suicide jacket.<br /><br />Police cordoned off the area and sealed key roads as ambulances took the injured to nearby hospitals. An emergency was declared in the hospitals.<br /><br />Peshawar has borne the brunt of a wave of terrorist attacks across Pakistan.<br /><br />In the past few weeks, car bombs and suicide attackers have targeted public places, police check posts and security facilities in Peshawar, including the provincial headquarters of the Inter-Services Intelligence agency. Hundreds have died in these attacks.<br /><br />Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani strongly condemned the blast. He directed authorities to conduct an inquiry into the incident.</p>
<p>The bomber, who came to the court complex in a rickshaw, tried to flee when he was challenged by police, said North West Frontier Province Senior Minister Bashir Bilour.<br />He blew himself up when police fired at him, the minister told reporters at the site of the blast.<br /><br />Five persons were killed in the blast, Bilour said. Nearly 50 injured people were taken to nearby hospitals.<br /><br />Doctors said six of them were in a serious condition.<br /><br />Several policemen, lawyers and passers-by were among the injured. Bilour said there would have been more casualties if the bomber had managed to enter the sessions court complex on Jail Road, a high-security area.<br /><br />To a question about claims that India and the US were behind such attacks, he said, "no Americans or RAW agents are carrying out these blasts".<br /><br />The sessions court complex is located a short distance from a hostel for provincial legislators, Peshawar Museum, provincial home department, Central Jail and Governor's House. <br /><br />The explosion sparked a fire that destroyed the auto-rickshaw used by the bomber and several cars.<br /><br />An official of the bomb disposal squad said investigators had found the head and body parts of the bomber and parts of the suicide jacket.<br /><br />Police cordoned off the area and sealed key roads as ambulances took the injured to nearby hospitals. An emergency was declared in the hospitals.<br /><br />Peshawar has borne the brunt of a wave of terrorist attacks across Pakistan.<br /><br />In the past few weeks, car bombs and suicide attackers have targeted public places, police check posts and security facilities in Peshawar, including the provincial headquarters of the Inter-Services Intelligence agency. Hundreds have died in these attacks.<br /><br />Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani strongly condemned the blast. He directed authorities to conduct an inquiry into the incident.</p>
