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PARACHINAR, Pakistan: The death toll from a suicide bombing at an
election rally in Pakistan’s tribal belt rose to 46 on Sunday, a
local official said.
“There are now 46 people dead, and about 50
critically wounded who are being evacuated to Peshawar,” said Fida
Mohammad Khan, senior local administration official in the
northwestern town of Parachinar bordering Afghanistan.
A security official said there had been initial
confusion about the number of dead because bodies were so badly
damaged in the Saturday attack. Some additional victims also died in
hospital from their wounds, the official said.
On Saturday, an interior ministry spokesman gave
the toll as 37 after the attack.
Security officials earlier told Agence France-Presse
that the suicide bomber attacked a Pakistan People’s Party meeting
outside the office of a local election candidate. The candidate’s
family said he was safe.
Khan said the situation in the town was tense
and security extremely tight.
“We have imposed restrictions on movement of
people in sensitive areas of the town,” Khan said.
A resident, Khalil Shah, said gunfire was
continuing in the town. Some areas were very tense especially where
Sunni and Shiite communities live together, he said.
Paramilitary soldiers had taken up positions in
the town to control violence.
Angry supporters of the candidate on Saturday
night burned down several shops and damaged some government
buildings, a security official said.
-- AFP
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