At least eight people have been killed and dozens wounded in a suicide bomb attack on a bus carrying air force officials in Pakistan.

The suicide bomber crashed his motorbike laden with explosives into the bus in the Sargodha district of central Punjab province on Thursday.

Javed Cheema, an interior ministry spokesman, said: "The bus was carrying trainee flying officers when it was attacked.

"Eight air force officials died in the terrorist attack."

According to security officials, the dead included a squadron leader, two airmen and five trainee flying officers.

The largest air force base in Pakistan is located in the region.

Children hurt

The bomber's dismembered head was found at the scene, said Hamid Javed, a police officer.

"There was a huge bang which was heard several kilometers away," he said.

Anwar Ali, another police officer, told the AFP news agency that three school children were also hurt when shrapnel hit a nearby van in which they were traveling.

Sargodha was the scene of a failed suicide bomb attack a few months ago when an attacker managed to enter a police compound but was shot dead before he could blow himself up.

The attack comes two days after a bomber struck the army office of Pervez Musharraf, the president, in the city of Rawalpindi.

PHOTO CAPTION

Map of Pakistan showing Sargodha district of central Punjab. [BBC]

Al-Jazeera