At least 15 people were killed and 20 others injured on Wednesday in a blast during a funeral in northwest Pakistan, local police said.

The blast took place during funeral prayers for a peace militia Aman lashkar leader's wife in Adezai area of Matni near Peshawar, the capital city of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan.

Police said that it was a suicide blast. More than 100 people were attending the funeral when the blast occurred, so the death toll may rise.

Rescue, law enforcement agencies and the bomb disposal squad reached the area. Police and law enforcement agencies have cordoned off the area while an emergency has been declared in Peshawar's hospitals.

Adezai is a historic village of Peshawar where the pro- government Aman lashkar was fighting against the Taliban. It has remained the target of terror activities for a long time.