Islamabad, Jan 22  

A powerful bomb planted in a bicycle exploded in Charsadda district of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province Wednesday, killing seven persons.

Those killed included six policemen and a school student, the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported. 

According to a spokesman of Charsadda police, the blast occurred near a police mobile van in Sir Dheri Bazar area of Charsadda district.

Ten other people were injured in the explosion. 

The militants had fixed explosives to a bicycle that went off when the police mobile van, on way from Police Lines to provide security to anti-polio teams, was crossing the area. 

Security forces have rushed to the spot and cordoned off the area. 

Rescue teams shifted the bodies and the injured people to the Charsadda District Headquarter Hospital and Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar. 

President Mamnoon Hussain has strongly condemned the bomb blast He said such acts of cowardice cannot deter the nation’s resolve against terrorism and extremism. 

He prayed for the departed souls to rest in peace and courage to the bereaved families. 

Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pervez Khattak, too strongly condemned the Charsadda blast and announced compensation for the victims. 

The chief minister announced Rs.30 lakh each for the families of police personnel who laid down their lives in the line of duty, APP said. 

He also announced Rs.5 lakh as compensation for the family of the minor student who also fell prey to the deadly blast and Rs.2 lakh each for those injured. 

By:IANS