Suicide bomb toll in Hangu of Pakistan rises to 36

The death toll of a suicide car bomb attack Thursday evening in Pakistan's northwest city of Hangu has risen to 36, reported "The News" on Friday. According to the report, among the people killed in the blast there were ten police and over 50 others were also injured in the blast, some of whom are said to be still in critical condition. The attack came at about 18:15 p.m. local time near a district police officer's office at the Hangu-Kohat link road in the city. The office of the district police officer was partially damaged but the district police officer escaped the attack. An estimated 15 shops were damaged during the blast. One small hotel near the blast site, in which many police are said to be eating inside, were completely destroyed and six shops surrounding the hotel collapsed following the blast. Bomb disposal squad said an estimated 450 explosives were used in the blast. Pakistan Taliban claimed the responsibility for the attack, which is mainly aimed at avenging the killing of the al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden by the U.S. forces in Pakistan early this month.