Peshawar, Apr 24 (PTI) At least 10 people, including eight policemen, were killed and over 20 injured in a "suicide attack" at a police station in Pakistan's restive northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Monday, authorities said.
The blast took place at the Kabal police station in Swat Valley.
The police station premises also has the Counter Terrorism Department and a mosque.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Inspector General of Police Akhtar Hayat Khan said security officials were on "high alert" throughout the province.
At least 10 people, including eight policemen, were killed and more than 20 people injured in the "suicide attack" at a Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) police station in Swat's Kabal on Monday, police were quoted as saying by the Express Tribune newspaper.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack but in recent months, the Pakistani Taliban have claimed similar attacks after ending a ceasefire with the government.
Earlier, District Police Officer Shafi Ullah Gandapur (DPO) said there were two blasts inside the station, which destroyed the building, Geo News reported.
Police said that several people were buried under the rubble while the injured were being rushed to Saidu Sharif Teaching Hospital. Meanwhile, an emergency was declared at all nearby hospitals.
CTD DIG Khalid Sohail said that the building collapsed and several were buried under the rubble. The injured were rushed to Saidu Sharif Teaching Hospital. Meanwhile, an emergency was declared at all nearby hospitals.
Due to the collapse, a power outage was also caused.
Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah condemned the blast and expressed sadness over the lives lost. "This scourge of terrorism will be uprooted soon," he asserted.
KP Caretaker Chief Minister Muhammad Azam Khan also strongly condemned the blast, and directed the relevant authorities to speed up rescue and relief operations, Radio Pakistan reported.
The chief minister said the government would not abandon the families of the martyred police officials.
The latest attack comes as Pakistan faces a rise in terrorism incidents, with militants targeting law enforcers in their new offensive. Security agencies have also ramped up operations against the terrorists.