Suicide attack on PPP rally kills 37 in Parachinar

[HAIDER]

PARACHINAR, Pakistan, Feb 16 (AFP) A suicide car bomber struck a Pakistan People’s Party rally in the northwestern tribal town of Parachinar Saturday, killing 37 people. “It was a suicide attack, there were people outside the candidate's house and they were waiting for food when this man attacked,” interior minister Hamid Nawaz told AFP. “It is a very unfortunate incident. Maximum security measures are in place for the 17th and 18th (of February) and the campaign is going to end tonight,” he added. Thirty-seven people were killed and 93 wounded in the blast, interior ministry spokesman Brigadier Javed Cheema said, adding: “It was a vehicle-borne suicide attack.” Security officials earlier told AFP that the suicide bomber attacked a Pakistan People's Party meeting outside the office of local candidate Riaz Shah. Shah's family said he was safe. “A man with long hair drove a car into the crowd and blew himself up. There were bodies and blood everywhere,” a witness told AFP. Police in the southern city of Hyderabad meanwhile said they had arrested a suspected militant equipped with a suicide jacket and explosives who was planning an attack during the polls. Some 81,000 army and paramilitary soldiers have fanned out across the country to maintain peace and security during the election, chief military spokesman Major General Athar Abbas said. Qaiser Tareen, commander of the paramilitary Punjab Rangers, said troops have been ordered to “shoot on sight” those who try to hamper the voting or disrupt peace on election day. (First Posted @ 17:15 PST Updated @ 20:28 PST)
- DAWN - Latest Stories; February 16, 2008

 

[Energon]

Benazir is dead, and with her the hopes of the PPP regaining full executive power of Pakistan. Why are the radicals still hitting PPP? What can be achieved by these suicide bombing missions? And who is the biggest beneficiary of this violence?

 

[araz]

I dont think this is directed at any party but the intention is to create chaos. These stupid acts which result in deaths and injuries to scores of people are really an abhorrable act.
Araz