Pakistan town hit by suicide bomb

At least 24 people have been killed after a suicide bomber in a car struck government buildings in Pakistan’s volatile north-west.

The bomb went off near several buildings and shops in Hangu, close to Pakistan’s tribal areas, causing considerable damage.

The district’s police offices are also in the area and officers are among the casualties, police say.

On Monday militants attacked a naval base in Karachi, killing 16 people.

“The death toll can rise further, as many among the 45 wounded people are in serious condition,” Fazal Naeem, a police spokesman in Hangu, told Reuters.

Another police official, Latif Khan, said the blast had left a deep crater.

“The buildings housing the police station… were partially damaged but at least 15 shops, including a tea house and a restaurant are completely razed,” he said.

The buildings also contain Hangu district courts, police said.

Witnesses said the blast was so powerful that they feared people were trapped in the rubble.

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