The election office of Nasir Khan, after the blast. PHOTO: MUHAMMAD IQBAL/EXPRESS
The device exploded outside the election office of independent candidate Nasir Khan, in Maqsoodabad, Landai Sarak in the jurisdiction of Khazana police station. Khan is contesting elections from the constituency of NA-46 and has previously served as a senator.
He is a Qamber Khel Afridi by clan from Khyber Agency. The remote controlled device had been planted on a bicycle which had been parked outside the election office. The election office and the surrounding area was crowded at the time of the explosion.
The injured were shifted to the Lady Reading Hospital. Soon after the attack, security forces cordoned off the area for investigation.
The Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility for the attack.
It is the second explosion of its kind after the April 16 deadly suicide attack at ANP's corner meeting on Munda Beri Road, Yakatot.
Earlier today, a bomb exploded outside the office of an independent candidate in the garrison city of Kohat, which is adjacent to Pakistan's restive tribal areas along the Afghan border.
"The IED was planted outside the election office. At least five people have been killed and 22 injured," city police chief Dilawar Khan Bangash said.
Taliban militants have stepped up attacks on politicians in an attempt to sabotage the first democratic transition of power in the political history of Pakistan.
A string of bomb blasts killed many and injured dozens in different parts of Pakistan, heightening fears of increased attacks ahead of next month’s general elections.
The ANP, MQM and PPP have faced the brunt of the ongoing attacks.
Correction: An earlier version of the story mistakenly mentioned the constituency as PK-8 and the candidate as a member of the PML-N. The error is regretted.
COMMENTS (24)
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@IThought: Sad but true.
@not all:
I thought there were people content with terrorism being inflicted on Afghans. Seems as though they're passive with terrorism inflicted on political opposition within the country as well. Lets hope people don't start blowing themselves up for the heck of it. I wouldn't be surprised of terrorism becomes a form of political activism on a accepted national scale. Even in Afghanistan, political parties and candidates broadly condemn such actions as being to the detriment of democracy.
It seems that the province of Punjab is the only real Pakistan. Rest provinces are like, “Sindh is Syria,” “Balochistan is Occupied Kashmir” and “Khayber Pakhtunkuwa is Iraq.” I can not believe that any power in the country is more powerful than the state’s power. This is war of supremacy on the cost of vulnerable people of Pakistan. Again, very unfortunate for people of Pakistan and country, what is going on in my motherland is so bad. We even didn’t learn a lesson from 1971 incident.
Looks like non stater actors are full out against the vital functioning of state
If this situation of terror will continue, voting turnout will be very low! My request to EC to order army and all concerned departments to put their full efforts to stop terrorism! It's last chance to save democracy!
@Liberal: "I guess this will shut those up who think only progressive forces are under attack. EVERYONE is under attack. And all of us need to stand up to these terrorists and defeat them!"
Not true. It was simply an error in reporting due to which it was indicated that it was a PML-N office that was attacked. It is an independent candidate. All are not under attack only left of center parties are.
@ZZQ: Whatever their performance let the people decide. Not some self appointed parties through terrorism would decide.
@Zulfiqar: @Liberal: Now as the correction has been made that the candidate in Independent not PML (N)'s , what you say. PML(N) and PTI are blue eyed parties of those who are attacking their opponents.
@Jat: "A country which has an army of 5 million This must be the biggest collection of Ostriches, head buried in the sand"
Oye Jataaa !!! 5 million are not FAUJI but are MAOUJI,
It's horrifying to see such things. This truly shows that we must go and vote no matter what in order to fix all these vices.
Noticeable trend: remote controlled bombs instead of suicide bombings. ECP, please spend some money on jamming devices or hire some from the military.
Blasts wont stop me from voting. Strikes wont stop me to work ...!
While condemning the attack, let me correct you ET. As per ECP website, Nasir Khan is an independent candidate (not PMLN). http://www.ecp.gov.pk/Misc/ContestingCandidates/Party-wise%20List%20of%20Contesting%20Candidates.pdf PMLN candidate for NA-46 is Sohail Ahmad. Correct me if I am wrong.
Taliban don't even want elections.
All of us should think seriously about these terrorists..............
Boston police is highly needed in Pakistan. Political parties who don't have any chance of winning in election are being bombed and no one is getting caught. It seems these parties are bombing themselves to delay the election and get the sympathy vote. I wish we had police force similar to Boston police, everything would have been cleared by now. But we can only wish unfortunately. Don't know when Pakistan police will start performing their duties
We must join hands in defeating terrorists.
@jat Ostrich sounds
@Liberal, agree with your remark with one correction:
The alliance of so called liberal parties wasn't a progressive one as it took the country on a record regressive path... Thanks to these liberals (so called) we have regressed in all sphere's of life be it law and order, economic, social, development, unity and discipline.
They have mortgaged even our future generations thx to the doubling of foreign debt...
NA-4 PMLN candidate is Nasir Khan Musa Zai and PK-8 candidate is Arbab Akbar Hayyat. Kindly cross check these facts.
You Pakistanis sure know how to have fun. What kind of cowards are you ? Allowing a few thousand people to take over a nuclear country of 18 crore. A country which has an army of 5 million.
This must be the biggest collection of Ostriches with their collective heads buried in the sand.
I guess this will shut those up who think only progressive forces are under attack. EVERYONE is under attack. And all of us need to stand up to these terrorists and defeat them!
All these attacks are condemnable irrespective of the party, this is the shut up call for all the political parties who were crying about other parties not being attacked.