Blast in NW Pakistan kills 8, injures 17

ISLAMABAD, April 28 (Xinhua) -- At least eight people were killed and 17 others injured when a blast went off outside an independent election candidate's office in Pakistan's northwest city of Kohat on Sudnay morning, reported local Urdu TV channel Ary.

But police have so far confirmed only three deaths in the blast.

District police officer of Kohat Dilawar Bangash said that three people have been killed in the blast and the blast has also damaged several vehicles and buildings in the nearby area.

According to local media reports and police, the blast took place at about 9:50 a.m. local time outside the office of Syed Noor Akbar, an independent election candidate in the Kacha Paka area of Kohat, capital town of Kohat district, which lies some 160 km northwest of the country's capital Islamabad.

Akbar comes from the nearby tribal area of Orakzai to contest for the National Assembly seat, said the local reports.

The candidate remained safe in the blast, said the reports.

Police and rescue team rushed to the site immediately following the blast and shifted all the injured and bodies to the district headquarters hospital in Kohat.

Local media Geo quoted unidentified police sources as saying that the blast could be of suicidal nature. However, there is no official confirmation about it yet.

No group has claimed responsibilities for the attack.

In recent weeks, a string of blasts mainly targeting the election rallies and candidates were reported across the country. On Saturday night, two blasts, respectively targeting an election office and public gathering of two local parties, namely MQM and PPP, took place in the country's southern port city of Karachi, killing at least four and wounding dozens of others.

Pakistan Taliban have warned the public to avoid the public rallies of PPP, MQM and ANP in the coming May 11 general elections as they will attack the election campaigns of the three parties in retaliation for their support for the military operations launched by the army against Taliban.

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