PESHAWAR, Oct 24: A bridge and few houses were damaged in a blast near Bacha Khan Markaz, the central office of Awami National Party, here on Wednesday evening.

Police said that the bomb was planted along Pejagi Road to target the law-enforcers. However, terrorists failed to achieve their target, they said, adding that no casualty was reported in the blast.

Provincial Senior Minister Bashir Ahmed Bilour told journalists at the blast site that the explosion was aimed at creating panic among people.

He said that government was determined to eliminate extremists at all costs.

He said that government would never bow down to the terrorists and would continue its efforts to get the people rid of them.

The minister said that a decision whether to launch an operation in Waziristan or not would be taken by the government in consultation with security forces.

He said that terrorists had neither any religion nor sympathies with humanity.

An official of the bomb disposal squad said that the explosive, packed in a ghee canister, weighed about 500 grams. “It seemed to be a time bomb,” the official said.

Police cordoned off the entire area soon after the blast, causing problems for motorists and commuters travelling on Pejagi Road.

Another official said that the blast could be a reaction to an operation recently launched in Akkakhel area of Khyber Agency. He said that no key militant commander was targeted in the operation so far.

The official said that police were in search of the killers of SP Khurshid Khan, who had been killed during an attack at Ghaziabad police post a few days ago.