A suicide bomber has rammed a motorcycle into a bus carrying air force employees in Pakistan's Punjab province, killing eight officials.
A suicide bomber has killed at least eight Pakistani air force personnel in an attack in central Punjab province.
Authorities say about 40 others are wounded in the attack.
About 40 others were wounded when the bomber rammed his motorcycle into a bus carrying air force staff near the city of Sargodha, the authorities said.
It took place near the city of Sargodha, which is home to the largest air force base in the country.
Meanwhile, fighting between pro-Taleban militants and security forces in the north-west has resumed after a lull.
Violence has soared in Pakistan since troops stormed the radical Red Mosque in the capital, Islamabad, in July, with the deaths of at least 100 people.
Pakistan has seen violence soar since troops stormed a radical Islamabad mosque in July, killing more than 100.
After Thursday's bombing, military spokesman Waheed Arshad said: "It was a suicide attack and the target was the bus which was carrying the air force officials."
The attack enraged Islamist militants, who have been blamed for a wave of attacks since.
Maj-Gen Waheed called it "an act of terrorism" and said the victims had been heading for duty.
'Act of terrorism'
Violent attacks
Military spokesman Maj-Gen Waheed Arshad said Thursday's blast near Sargodha, about 200km (125 miles) south of Islamabad, was an "act of terrorism".
"It was a suicide attack and the target was the bus which was carrying the air force officials," he said.
Sargodha is home to Pakistan's largest air force base. Those killed were on their way to report for duty, Maj-Gen Arshad said.
July's assault on the Red Mosque was launched after its clerics and students had waged a campaign to enforce strict Sharia law in Islamabad.
July's assault on the Red Mosque was launched after its clerics and students had waged a campaign to enforce strict Sharia law in Islamabad.
Ever since the operation, troops have often been the target of violent attacks.
Hundreds of people have been killed in fighting and attacks blamed on Islamist militants since the operation. Military personnel have been targeted with increasing frequency.
The most recent took place two days ago at a police checkpoint near army headquarters of President General Pervez Musharraf in the city of Rawalpindi.
On Tuesday, a suicide bomber struck at a police checkpoint near army headquarters in the city of Rawalpindi.
Some analysts say militants with links to the Taleban and al-Qaeda saw the Red Mosque raid as the beginning of a serious army clampdown against them and decided to strike back, the BBC's Barbara Plett in Islamabad reports.
Some analysts say militants with links to the Taleban and al-Qaeda saw the Red Mosque raid as the beginning of a serious army clampdown against them and decided to strike back, the BBC's Barbara Plett in Islamabad reports.
Pro-Taleban forces are also challenging state authority in the Swat valley of north-western Pakistan, she says.
Pro-Taleban forces are also challenging state authority in the Swat valley of north-western Pakistan, she says.
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