PESHAWAR, Pakistan, Aug 19 - A suspected suicide bomber killed at least 25 people in the compound of a hospital in north-west Pakistan on Tuesday as members of a religious minority were holding a protest, police said.

Violence in north-west Pakistan is a major test for the coalition government led by the party of slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, especially after the resignation of former army chief Pervez Musharraf as president on Monday.