Polls candidates in the line of fire

• At least 14 killed as ANP rally, PML-N convoy bombed in Peshawar, Quetta
• PPP’s NA-1 candidate’s house attacked in Peshawar
• Two militants killed, four policemen injured in Tank clash

Militant attacks on aspiring lawmakers across the country continued on Tuesday, as 14 more people linked with election activities one way or the other lost their lives in various attacks.

Tuesday’s deadliest attack came in Peshawar, where 11 people were killed and over 40 injured in a suicide bombing close to an ANP rally in Yakatoot area of the provincial capital.

The dead included Yakatoot Police SHO Abidur Rahman, Assistant Sub-Inspector Hussain Shah and two constables.

Former federal minister Ghulam Ahmad Bilour was among the injured, however, his condition was stated to be out of danger.

Witnesses and police officials said a suicide bomber blew himself up near the bulletproof SUV of Haroon Bilour, son of late Bashir Bilour, when he arrived to attend a public meeting. The vehicle was badly damaged, but Haroon escaped unhurt.

Other people injured, including children and policemen, were rushed to hospitals and being administered medical treatment.

Bomb Disposal Squad Additional Inspector General Shafqat Malik said the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber using five to six kilogrammes of explosives.

ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan said the caretaker government and the Election Commission were responsible for the attack, as they had withdrawn security for ANP leaders, who were regular targets of terrorists.

He demanded the ECP and senior provincial police officials be booked in the FIR for the attack. He said the intention of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa caretaker was not clear.

ANP’s former KP information minister, Mian Iftikhar Hussain said elections should not be delayed even for a second, as doing so would mean succumbing to the tactics of anti-democracy forces.

Another three deaths came in Quetta when a bomb targeted a convoy of PML-N Balochistan President Sardar Sanaullah Zehri, killing his son, brother and nephew.

Several people were reportedly injured in the attack as well.

The blast took place in Anjira area of Zehri tehsil of Khuzdar district.

However, Zehri remained unharmed in the blast.

Another attack was reported in Gulbahar area of Peshawar earlier in the day when unidentified militants hurled a hand grenade at the house of PPP candidate for NA-1, Zulfiqar Afghani.

No casualties were reported as the grenade exploded on the roof of the house.

Police personnel and Zulfiqar Afghani said the bomb exploded on the third floor of the house, creating panic in the area.

No damage to life or property was reported.

“It’s a cowardly act to sabotage the elections. Earlier, ANP leaders have been targeted and now the terrorists have started targeting us,” Afghani said.

“I have no enmity and have never even carried a weapon in my life, so it’s very clear that whoever is targeting political workers wants to derail the democratic process. But we will not be afraid,” he added.

Separately in Tank, at least two suspected militants were killed and four policemen injured in a clash on Tuesday morning.

Tank connects the Waziristan tribal belt with Dera Ismail Khan.

Police officials said a group of militants attacked a police party near the office of South Waziristan political administration in Tank.

As a result of indiscriminate firing, four policemen sustained serious injuries.

The officials said security forces retaliated and shot dead two suspected militants, while the remaining managed to escape.

Tank is close to Waziristan region and has been a frequent target for terrorists in recent past.

Thousands of families from Mehsud, Ahmadzai Wazir, Betani, Sheerani and Sulaimankhel tribes who have abandoned homes in the Tribal Areas are living as internally displaced people (IDP’s) in Tank and adjacent Dera Ismail Khan.