Suicide attack in NW Pakistan kills 12, injures 31

[News_Editor]

Suicide attack in NW Pakistan kills 12, injures 31

2011-03-31 21:24:59 GMT+7 (ICT)

CHARSADDA, PAKISTAN (BNO NEWS) -- At least 12 people were killed and another 31 people were injured on Thursday after a suicide attack in northwest Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, local authorities said.

The state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said the attacker was apparently targeting a convoy carrying Jamiat-i-Ulema Islam-Farzal (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman as it passed Nowshera road in Charsadda, a town in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Among the 12 people killed were two policemen, including Sub Inspector Jamrooz Khan and constable Haider Shah, APP reported. Rehman remained unhurt despite the windshield of his vehicle being smashed during the explosion.

On Wednesday, a suicide bomber riding a motorcycle blew himself up near a police checkpoint on the Islamabad-Peshawar motorway in Swabi District, also located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Authorities believe Rehman had also been targeted during that attack.

However, Rehman said he had not received any threats in relation to the attacks. On Thursday, the JUI-F chief was about to to address Jamiat workers prior to the attack, but the rally has been postponed.

While police cordoned off the area to conduct investigations, the wounded were transported to local hospitals in Charsadda and Peshawar. Several injured were reported to be in a critical condition, and the death toll could rise.

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