Policeman inspect a destroyed bus at the blast site in northwest Pakistan's Peshawar, on June 8, 2012. At least 21 people were killed and over 40 others injured in a bombing that targeted a bus carrying government employees in Pakistan's northwest city of Peshawar on Friday afternoon, local media reported. (Xinhua/Ahmad Sidique)

At least 21 people were killed and over 40 others injured in a bombing that targeted a bus carrying government employees in Pakistan's northwest city of Peshawar on Friday afternoon, local media reported.

According to the report by local Urdu TV channel Geo, the bus carrying at least 40 employees of Civil Secretariat was targeted in Charsadda road area on the outskirts of Peshawar, the capital of the country's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Police said that the employees were on the way home from their office when the blast occurred. He added that both the killed and the injured include women and kids.

According to police, the blast was triggered by a timed device and explosive materials were fixed near the back door of the bus. About 8 kilograms of explosives were used in the attack.

Eye witnesses told media that the blast was so violent in nature and most of the injured were in critical condition.

"I was sitting in my home when the bomb detonated with a big bang, my son and I rushed out of our house and saw smoke clouds rising from a partially destroyed bus. When we got closer to the bus, we saw dead bodies and human flesh scattered everywhere, it was a miserable scene to watch and explain," Gul Badshah told media.

Local people and rescue teams shifted the injured to Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar and district hospital in Charsadda.

Medical superintendent of Lady Reading Hospital told media that the death toll may further rise as several among the injured were in critical condition.

Several houses and vehicles were also destroyed in the blast.

No group has claimed responsibility for the blast.

Information Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mian Iftikhar Hussain said that the government is ready for peace talks with Taliban militants, but if they continue to launch terrorist attacks, a forceful military operation would be launched against them in all tribal areas and their neighboring cities to restore peace.

Due to its geographical location, Peshawar remains a main target of terrorists. Hundreds of civilians and policemen lost their lives in terrorist attacks in Peshawar with the advent of U. S.-led war on terror in Afghanistan in 2001.