PESHAWAR: A roadside blast injured a policeman and damaged a vehicle in Garhi Millikhel area on the outskirts of provincial metropolis on Monday.

The police van was going to Janazagah where funeral prayers of slain leader of Awami National Party Mian Mushtaq were scheduled to be offered.

An official of Badhber police station said that the bomb was detonated through a remote control. He said that other policemen, onboard the van, remained unhurt in the blast.

The injured policeman identified as Aftab Alam was rushed to Lady Reading Hospital where the doctors described hiscondition satisfactory.

The official said the blast took place at 11am while the time of funeral was 2pm.

The terrorist act was meant to frighten people to avoid attending the funeral prayers, he added.

The target, the official said, was police but the bomb exploded when police van passed through the site. The blast site was at a short distance from the Janazagah, he added.

Mian Mushtaq and two of his companions were killed in the area on Sunday.

An official of bomb disposal unit said that three kilograms of explosives were used in the blast. A case was registered at Badhber police station against unidentified terrorists.

Meanwhile, police and other law enforcement agencies were put on alert for Eid Milad and the officials concerned were directed to carry out targeted as well as general operations against the outlaws in respective areas to improve the law and order sit-uation.

Presiding over a meeting of district police officers at his office here on Monday, IGP Nasir Khan Durrani said that corrupt, stinking record holders and those earning bad name for the force would have to face strict legal action.

The meeting thoroughly reviewed law and order situation in the province.

The additional inspector general of police (operations) gave a detailed presentation on policy and operational guidelines while AIGP (investigation) briefed the meeting on performance of investigation wing.

The police chief directed the participants of the meeting to launch targeted and general search operation against outlaws at same time. He directed them to take policewomen with them during the search operation and also take local elders into confidence.

Mr Durrani also directed to start motorcycles checking campaign from Tuesday and focus on checking of fake number plates andbogus registration. `Police must ensure due care of innocent people during checking, he added.

The officials were also directed to personally visit the site offices of different projects where foreigners were working to review security arrangements and take steps for further improvement if needed.

They were asked to make it mandatory for every constable to wear helmet and bulletproof jacket during the duty hours. They were told to develop a monitoring evaluation system about the arrest of proclaimed offenders, convene fortnight operational meeting and work out action against extortionists and kidnappers.

The meeting also decided that investigation officer would visit the place of any occurrence and ensure contribution in the whole process. It was also decided that in case of any threat alert the SDPO concerned must visit the possible target spot and show action-oriented performance.