15 dead in Peshawar rally blast

KABUL‘s northwestern city of Peshawar on Tuesday.

The blast in Yakatoot, a congested neighbourhood, came moments after senior ANP leader Ghulam Ahmed Bilour and others arrived at the scene — the fourth deadly attack on politicians in three days ahead of May 11 general elections.

Bilour, a former federal minister for railways, escaped with only minor bruises. He was shown on television footage with blood splatters on his shirt after the attack. The dead included a child and five police officials.

Police said it was a suicide attack in which up to six kilograms of explosives along with splinters and ball bearings were used. Live television footage showed vehicles burning and people rescuing the wounded in a cloud of smoke.

Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for the blast. Bashir Bilour, Ghulam Ahmed Bilour’s brother, was also killed in a bombing carried out by the Taliban militants. A local ANA leader Mukaram Shah was killed in a blast also claimed by the TTP on Sunday.

The party on Monday had warned to take legal action against the Election Commission for its decision of decreasing security protocol of its leaders.

ma

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