A huge car bomb explosion killed at least 90 people in a crowded market in northwest Pakistan's city of Peshawar on Wednesday, a senior official said.

Rescue workers move an injured person at the site of an explosion in northwest Pakistan's city of Peshawar, Oct. 28, 2009. At least 90 people were killed and more than 200 others injured in a powerful bomb blast at a crowded market in Peshawar on Wednesday. [Xinhua]

The bomb exploded at a crowded market at Chowk Yadgar locality in Peshawar, senior minister Bashir Bilor said.

District Coordination Officer Sahibzada Aness said that 90 people have been confirmed dead and 150 others were injured.

He said that the death toll may rise as rescue operation continued and there is possibility that some people are still under the rubble of collapsed buildings.

Hospital sources said that scores of the injured are in critical condition. Several women and children are among the injured, hospital sources said.

Shops caught fire and fire fighters were called to extinguish the blaze.

Sahibzada Aness said that the rescue teams were facing difficulties as several shops caught fire and the fire fighters can not easily enter the narrow markets.

Senior official of the bomb disposal squad Shafqat Malik said that the blast was carried out through a car and at least 150 kg explosives were used.

People shifted the injured in their private vehicles to hospitals. Ambulances later rushed to the site and shifted the injured to the nearby Lady Readings Hospital.

Several buildings also collapsed due to severe blaze and it is feared that several people may have been buried under the rubble. A multi-storied building collapsed when the rescue work was underway, witnesses said.

A large number of people rushed to the site to get information about the whereabouts of their relatives.

Emergency was declared in main hospitals in the city and people were asked to donate blood.

The police were not clear as to who was the target but officials said that majority of those killed and injured were civilians.

Shopkeepers said that the area was crowded when the blast happened.

No group claimed responsibility for the attack. Peshawar has seen series of deadly blasts in recent weeks.