Pakistan blast in Peshawar kills provincial minister

A suicide bomber has killed at least eight people at a political rally in the north-western Pakistani city of Peshawar, according to police.

A senior provincial minister and anti-Taliban figure, Bashir Ahmad Bilour, was among those killed.

The blast happened at the house of a leader of the Awami National Party (ANP) which is part of the national governing coalition, local media said, where some 100 people had gathered.

The Pakistani Taliban have already claimed responsibility for carrying out the attack.

Bilour had delivered the keynote speech and was leaving when the attack occurred, Nazir Khan, a local Awami National Party leader, was reported as saying by Associated Press news agency.

Bilour, 69, was severely wounded in the chest and stomach and died from his injuries in hospital.

The Taliban has repeatedly targeted members of the ANP, which holds power in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Provincial information minister and ANP member, Mian Iftikhar Hussain, condemned the attack.

"Terrorism has engulfed our whole society," he said. "They are targeting our bases, our mosques, our bazaars, public meetings and our security checkpoints."

At least 18 people were injured in the blast, hospital and police officials said.