PABBI: A suicide bomber killed seven people

Pakistani police gather evidence at a suicide bomb attack site in the small town of Pabbi on July 26, 2010. – AFP



PABBI: A suicide bomber killed seven people on Monday, blowing himself up at agathering of senior Pakistani officials mourning the assassination of a cabinet minister’s son by suspected Taliban.

Police said the bomber was stopped while trying to walk into the home of Mian Iftikhar Hussain, information minister in Pakistan’s northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in the small town of Pabbi.

The bomber struck shortly after Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rehman Malik had visited to pay his respects over the death of Hussain’s 28-year-old son Mian Rashid, who was shot dead on Saturday.

“Seven people, including three policemen, have been killed and 21 injured,” senior police official Imran Kishwar told AFP by telephone from the scene.

Doctor Suhrab Khan at the main hospital in Pabbi confirmed that seven bodies were brought in after the attack – three policemen and four civilians.

Critically wounded patients had been rushed to the provincial capital of Peshawar and nine others were being treated locally, the doctor said.



Hussain is considered the most vocal northwestern minister against Taliban militants. He also worked as a spokesman for the provincial government.

“The suicide bomber was trying to enter the visitor’scompound at Mian Iftikhar’s house. The policeman who tried to stop him was also killed,” said senior police official Liaqat Ali.

“Several guests visiting Mian Iftikhar were present inside the nearby mosque at the time of the attack and they could have been the intended targets of the bombers,” the police chief told reporters.

Four relatives of the provincial minister were also injured in the attack, eyewitnesses told DawnNews.

Police officials said the suicide bomber was seen doing rounds of the area before the blast took place.

Mian Iftikhar is considered the most vocal northwestern minister against Taliban militants.

He also worked as a spokesman for the provincial government. (Dawn)