PESHAWAR – A bomb blast targeting a religious party chief killed at least 13 people and wounded 20 others in a northwestern Pakistani town Thursday, police said.
The bombing took place in the town of Charsadda, close to the convoy of Maulana Fazlur Rehman, leader of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) party — the second attack against the politician and his supporters in as many days.
“At least 13 people were martyred including three police officials and 20 others were wounded as the bomb blast hit a police vehicle deployed for security of the convoy,” said senior police official Nisar Khan Marwat
Rehman and his companions were unharmed, Marwat said, adding that the politician had gone to the town to address a party meeting.
Rehman’s party spokesman Asif Iqbal Daudzai confirmed that the party chief and other leaders were not hurt, but two security guards travelling in the vehicle in front were wounded.
“Maulana Fazlur Rehman and others are safe, their vehicle was damaged in the bomb blast,” said Daudzai.
It was the second attack on Rehman and his supporters in two days. On Wednesday a suicide bomber on a motorbike blew himself up near a police checkpoint killing 13 people and wounding more than 20 in the northwestern town of Swabi.
Rehman was on his way to a public meeting in Swabi when the blast happened.
