Awami National Party leader Ghulam Ahmed Bilour was injured while 11 party supporters were killed in a blast targeting an election rally in the Yakatoot area of Peshawar.
According to initial information, Bilour and his nephew Haroon Bilour, the son of the late Bashir Bilour, were leaving the rally venue when a bomb struck near Haroon’s vehicle, injuring his uncle Ghulam Bilour. Haroon Bilour escaped the attack. At least 11 supporters of the party are reported dead while 40 others are being treated at the Lady Reading Hospital.
At least four police officials, including SHO Kotwali Abid Khan, were also killed in the blast.
Blaming the Election Commission of Pakistan for the continuing spate of attacks against the ANP, the party’s leader Asfandyar Wali Khan said they would register a case against the ECP and the city’s police officials. “They have taken away the security of our leaders, rendering them vulnerable to a section of society which wants to eliminate liberals like the ANP from the country. But we will not back down as we are the followers of Bacha Khan,” he said.
Wali said that the elections must take place on time or else the situation would further deteriorate. “I have written to the ECP and the caretaker chief minister for security to the ANP leaders but none of them have responded to me request so far,” he added.
It was a suicide bombing and the legs of the bomber were recovered in the aftermath of the attack.
This is a developing story and will be updated accordingly.