Political leader among 20 killed in Pakistan suicide blast

At least 20 persons, including a political leader, were killed when a suicide bomber blew himself up late in Yakatoot area of Peshawar on Tuesday night in Pakistan, police said.

Awami National Party (ANP) candidate Barrister Haroon Bilour, the son of ANP's slain leader Bashir Ahmed Bilour, was among the deceased. The blast left more than 30 people injured, according to reports.

“According to our initial investigation, it was a suicide attack and Haroon Bilour... was the target,” a senior police officer, Shafqat Malik, was quoted as saying by the Dawn.

According to The Express Tribune, claiming responsibility for the attack, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) spokesperson termed the assassination “revenge for ANP’s previous government”.

The explosion occurred moments after Bilour arrived at the venue, near the stage, to address supporters at the meeting as welcoming party members and admirers engaged in a display of fireworks, which the bomber made use of as his cover.

The late ANP candidate was set to contest the July 25 elections from Peshawar's PK-78 constituency.

Nearly eight kilos of TNT explosives were used in the blast, Qazi Jamil, the capital city police officer (CCPO) of Peshawar said.

The Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) confirmed that the blast was a suicide attack.

Speaking about the incident, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Justice (retired) Sardar Mohammad Raza Khan condemned the terrorist attack and termed it a "weakness of security institutions".

The attack was a conspiracy against the transparent elections, the CEC said, noting that the provincial governments were ordered to provide fool-proof security to all candidates.

On the other hand, ANP leader Mian Iftikhar Hussain said the government had failed to provide security to the party.

"Perhaps someone wishes to sabotage the elections... wants to push ANP out of the electoral race," he said.

However, the "ANP will fully participate in the elections", he added.

With IANS inputs