At least 15 people were killed and over 40 injured when a  powerful blast ripped through an election rally of rightwing Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) in Pakistan.

Islamabad, May 6 /Nationalturk-  A powerful blast ripped through an election rally of rightwing Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) in the Sewak area of Pakistan’s central Kurram Agency on Monday, killing 15 persons and injuring over 40 others.

Political agent of Khurram agency Riaz Masood told Pakistan’s newspaper, The Dawn that the powerful explosion took place when a planted device detonated inside madrassa, where the election rally was taking place.

JUI-F leader Munir Orakzai, a former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) lawmaker contesting from NA-38 constituency, was sitting on the stage when the blast took place. He survived the bombing.

“Munir was getting off the stage when the power blast took place. Munir sustained suffered minor injuries,” his brother Dr Abdul Qadeer Orakzai told Pakistan’s newspaper.

“At least 15 people were killed in the blast and over 42 others injured. The injured were shifted to Parachinar hospital, where doctors have termed condition of many of them as critical,” a police officer said.

He said immediately after the blast, police and security forces laid siege around the area and launched combing operation to flush out the militants responsible for the attack.

TTP’s hand suspected

No militant group has claimed the responsibility of the bombing so far. But authorities apprehend that the bombing would have been carried by dreaded militant group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Today’s attack was the first deadly attack on a political party in Pakistan’s tribal belt since campaigning began for Pakistan’s polls, which mark a historic democratic transition in a country ruled by the military for half its life.

Over 72 persons have been killed in attacks targeting politicians and political parties since April 11. Pakistan goes to polls on May 11.

 

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Faiz Ahmad / NationalTurk Pakistan News

 

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