Lahore roadside blast kills one

Pakistan has been hit by a number of bombings

A bomb has exploded on a main road in the Pakistani city of Lahore, killing at least one person and injuring four others, the police said.

A police official told the AFP news agency that the bomb was placed under a car parked on the road.

The explosion took place in an area which is home to a number of government officials, the police said.

Meanwhile, unidentified gunmen have shot and wounded a Chinese engineer in restive North-West Frontier Province.

Pakistan has seen a rise in bombings since last year, but most have happened in the region bordering Afghanistan.

Flying debris

Police said the blast happened in the Mazang Chungi area of Lahore.

It damaged a vehicle, and the flying debris hit a woman passing by, police officer Atif Mairaj told the Associated Press news agency.

"This is an attempt by terrorists to create panic and spread terror," he said.

"We can't say who is behind it until the matter is investigated."

Meanwhile, gunmen have shot and wounded a Chinese engineer working for a hydro-electric project in North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), officials said.

The attack took place in a crowded market in the town of Malakand, north-east of Peshawar city.

"Gunmen overpowered the guards accompanying the man and fired shots at him in the Dargai market in Malakand, injuring him seriously," the news agency AFP quoted local police official Mohammad Humayun as saying.

The Chinese national suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was in hospital in a serious condition, he said.

Mr Humayun said the attack was being investigated.

China is one of Pakistan's closest allies.

Over the past few years, Islamic militants have often targeted Chinese workers and installations in Pakistan.