Bomb rocks international airport in northwest Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, April 28, 2007 (AFP) A bomb exploded at an international airport in northwest Pakistan on Saturday causing slight damage to the building, officials said.

It was a low intensity timed device planted outside a cafe near the entrance to the departure lounge at Peshawar International Airport, area police officer Iftikhar Khan said. Peshawar is the capital of North West Frontier Province bordering Afghanistan.

"There were two international flights taking off for the Middle East and the bomb explosion caused slight damage and panic among the visitors," Khan told AFP, adding that an inquiry has been ordered how the explosive was smuggled into the airport.

Pakistan has been hit by a wave of bomb blasts this year including an attack by an Islamic militant at Islamabad International Airport in February in which the attacker was killed and three policemen wounded.