Pakistani judge injured by bomb

Heavy explosives were used in the attack

A Pakistani judge has been seriously injured and three policemen killed by a bomb in the city of Multan, police say.

Mohammed Bashir Bhatti is an anti-terrorist judge who often hears cases against suspected militants.

He was travelling to court by car when the roadside bomb exploded. At least seven others were reported wounded.

No one has admitted planting the bomb. It follows attacks said to be in revenge for military raids on alleged militant bases near Afghanistan.

'Critical condition'

Two of Judge Bhatti's guards and his driver were killed in the attack as he travelled to work, police say.

A number of policemen as well as passers-by were among those injured, officials said.

The judge suffered serious injuries

Judge Bhatti himself is in a critical condition in a local hospital, a doctor told the Associated Press news agency.

Senior police officer Mirza Mohammad Ali was quoted by news agency Reuters as saying: "The bomb was planted on a bicycle and went off as the car of the special judge, Bashir Ahmed Bhatti, passed by."

He added that "judging by the impact of the blast, it appears to be very heavy explosive".

In recent weeks there have been a series of deadly bombings across Pakistan. They began after a Pakistani military air strike against a base allegedly used by al-Qaeda and Taleban fighters near the Afghan border in mid-January.

At least one report said Judge Bhatti had also been hearing a case involving a leader of the banned Sipah-e-Sihaba militant group, which has carried out numerous attacks on Shia Muslims over the years.