A blast ripped through a bus carrying government employees on Wednesday killing at least 10 and wounding 27 another in Peshawar, northwestern Pakistan, officials said.

The explosion took place in Saddar, a busy shopping district, as the bus was picking up government workers to take them to their offices, they said.

"At least 10 people were killed and 27 others were wounded in a blast (on a) government employees' bus," senior police official Mohammad Kashif told AFP.

Another police official and hospital officials also confirmed the death toll.