Suicide bomb attack kills 37 in Pakistan's tribal region: official
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Islamabad, Feb 16, IRNA
Pakistan-Blast
At least 37 people were killed in a suicide car bomb attack near the election office of Pakistan Peoples Party in the country's tribal agency on Saturday, the local official said.
Scores of others were also injured in the attack at Parachinar, the center of Kurrum Agency, about 290 km west of the capital, Islamabad, Political Agent of Kurrum Agency Zaheer-ul-Islam said.
Interior Minister Hamid Nawaz Khan put the death toll at 27 and injured at over 90.
The bomber exploded his explosive-laden office of Riaz Hussain Shah, a candidate for the National Assembly from the tribal area.
Hussain Shah told TV channels that the bomb exploded near his office at a time when his supporters were inside and outside of the office.
He said he was not at the office of the time of the blast.
He said the Pakistan Peoples Party has also announced support for him.
Parachinar, situated on a neck of Pakistani territory south of Peshawar, that juts into Paktia province in Afghanistan and is the closest point in Pakistan to Kabul and borders on the Tora Bora region in Afghanistan, has seen sectarian tension in recent months.
The security forces stepped up security measures after the blast as tension gripped the town ahead of the February 18 elections.
No group claimed responsibility of the attack.
Interior Ministry spokesman Javed Iqbal Cheema described the blast as terrorist act to terrorize the people ahead of the February 18 election.
He said the people were gathered outside the office of the candidate after election rally when the bomber exploded his car with the crowd.
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