Pakistani police say a suicide bomber blew himself up in the eastern city of Lahore Wednesday, killing at least seven people and wounding more than 12 others.
Local authorities say the blast ripped through a group of policemen standing guard as the nation prepares to celebrate the 61st anniversary of independence, which falls on Thursday.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack that came as Pakistanis poured into the streets before midnight to take part in the festivities.
Also Wednesday, Pakistani security officials said a missile strike launched from Afghanistan killed at least nine suspected militants at a training camp in the South Waziristan tribal region bordering Afghanistan.
Officials say the camp was run by the militant group Hezb-i-Islami, led by Afghan warlord and former prime minister Gulbuddin Hekmatyar.
It is not clear if Hekmatyar was killed, but officials say several foreign fighters are among the dead.
The U.S. military has launched similar attacks in the past, but denies any involvement in this one. Spokesman Lieutenant Nathan Perry said he had no reports of any incidents along the border.
In Pakistan's northwestern Khyber tribal region, gunmen burst into the headquarters of a group called the "Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice" and killed its leader, Haji Namdar.
Officials say Namdar's followers managed to capture two of the assailants, but so far no one has claimed responsibility.
Namdar survived a suicide bomb attack in May.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP.
