Three Dead In Powerful Blast In Pakistan

At least three people have been killed in a powerful bomb blast that ripped through a small town in Pakistan's Bajaur tribal region on the border with Afghanistan, authorities say.

At least 25 people were also injured in the August 11 explosion in the Char Mang district of Bajaur, said Aslam Khan, a government official in the area.

The region's administration said in a statement that the explosion was caused by a roadside bomb. There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but initial reports said it was remotely detonated.

Bajaur is one of the seven tribal agencies that makes up Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) along its volatile border with Afghanistan.

The region has long been a stronghold for Taliban militants and other extremist groups.

In a separate incident, gunmen riding a motorcycle opened fire on a vehicle carrying a senior police officer in Pakistan's largest city, Karachi, killing him and his guard before fleeing. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Karachi, located on the Arabian Sea, is considered a hiding place for Pakistani Taliban and foreign militants.

With reporting by RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal, AP, and dawn.com