Dera Ismail Khan blast retaliation from Taliban?

Anger and protests spilled onto the streets of Dera Ismail Khan after a powerful blast ripped through the heart of this town in Northwestern Pakistan on Sunday. The blast in the crowded market left eight dead and destroyed at least three shops.

Though no group has claimed responsibility so far, the attack comes amidst a government offensive against Taliban militants in country's Northwestern province.

So could this be the Taliban's revenge, especially since the area is seen as a stronghold of the Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud?

On Friday, Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari, in a sudden late night address to the nation, had condemned the killing of a cleric in a suicide bombing at a school in Lahore by the Taliban.

This latest attack could further put pressure on the Pakistani government to increase the crackdown on the Taliban as voices grow against the several peace deals between the Pakistani establishment and the Taliban, which many say have led to an increase in terror strikes and insurgent activities.