Death toll in Pakistan's Peshawar car blast rises to 52

ISLAMABAD, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- The death toll of Khyber Bazaar suicide blast in the northwest Pakistani city of Peshawar has reached to 52 while large number of victims are still under treatment in various hospitals, local TV channel reported Saturday.

The authorities feared increase in the toll, the private TV GEO News reported.

Meanwhile, security has been tightened in the city, the capital of North West Frontier Province (NWFP), after the blast as investigations are underway.

The NWFP Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti announced 300,000 rupees (about 3,614 U.S. dollars) for each deceased and 100,000 rupees (about 1,204 U.S. dollars) for each critical injured.

A suspected suicide car bombing shook a busy square in Peshawar's Khyber Bazaar on Friday, killing 52 people and injuring more than 100 others, local media reported on the day.

According to sources, most of the victims were passengers of a minibus passing through the square when a car blew up.

An official of the bomb disposal squad told reporters that 100 to 150 kilograms of explosives were used in the blast.