Suicide bomber kills 12 in Pakistan: police chief
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Islamabad, Oct 6, IRNA
Pakistan-Blast
A suicide bomber blew himself up at a gathering at the residence of an opposition parliamentarian, killing at least 12 people in Pakistan's eastern Punjab province on Monday, the police chief said.
The attack also injured up-to 30 people, including member National Assembly Rashid Akbar Khan Nawani, in the city of Bhakkar, Police Chief Shaukat Javed said.
Nawani belongs to Muslim League (N) party of Nawaz Sharif, who was also injured in the attack. He was shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital Bhakkar.
He said that the bomber sneaked into the MP's guest house and blew himself among the people who were sitting there.
Khan's secretary Ali Raza and one of his guards were among those killed in the attack in a peaceful city of three hundred thousand people.
Khan family sources said that 17 people died in the attack at 4:49 p.m.
No group claimed responsibility of the attack.
Suicide attacks have killed almost 1,200 Pakistanis since July last year, most of them civilians, according to military statistics released last week.
Some witnesses said that the bomber was wearing a women veil to resemble as a woman.
Motives behind the attack were not clear and the attack on Nawani has raised many questions as his PML-N party is not supporting the on-going military offensive against the militants and insists on dialogue to resolve the problem of militancy.
Deputy Superintendent Police district Bhakkar, Khadim Hussain said the bomber in his 30, entered the guest house at the MP guest house, which was being used as political office to receive people.
Hussain said that head of the bomber was found from the blast site and the DNA test of the head and other remains will be conducted.
The police chief Javed said that the security was on alert, but such incidents are taking place as the bombers are determined to carry out such attacks.
He said no such threat was received and that Khan has four police and his own guards at the time of the attack. Witnesses and private TV channels put the death toll at 20.
Doctors and police officials said that several injured were in critical condition and they say death toll may rise.
Khan's family said that around 80 guests and youth, seeking recruitment in the police department, were present at the guest house when the incident took place.
Bhakkar is a peaceful city but a bomb blast had killed over 30 people in the area some three years ago.
Police cordoned off the area and the people joined the police to shift injured to the hospital.
Emergency was declared in the local government hospital and a large number of people rushed to the hospital to donate blood.
The shopkeepers pulled their shutters in fear and solidarity with the victims soon after the attack, witnesses said.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani condemned the attack and called for immediate inquiry into the incident.
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