Two die in bus bomb blast

A bomb ripped through a passenger bus in the southwestern city of Quetta, today killing at least two people and wounding 18 others, police said.

The bomb, apparently hidden under a seat, went off as the bus was passing through Rubber Market in a heavily guarded military subdivision, they said.

No other details were immediately available.

The wounded people have been rushed to a state-run hospital, police said.

In recent months, scores of people have been killed and injured in a series of bomb explosions in Pakistan.

There were also several unsuccessful rocket-propelled grenade attacks on the military installations here.

Quetta is the provincial capital of southwestern Baluchistan province which borders Afghanistan.

In recent weeks, the province has witnessed violent protests by Islamic militants and Afghan refugees opposing the pro-US policies of the military-led government.

Pakistan is co-operating in the global war on terrorism and providing airspace and bases for the US to strike at the alleged terrorist base and military installations of the Taliban in Afghanistan.