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By PTI
PESHAWAR: A senior secular leader of the Awami National Party (ANP) and 19 others were killed when a Taliban suicide bomber blew himself up in an election rally in Pakistan's northwestern Peshawar city, the second The powerful blast, which also injured 66 people, took place shortly after midnight last night when leader ANP leader Haroon Bilour, who was contesting elections from PK-78 constituency Yakatoot area.
The Bilateral Bilder's Vehicle.
Bilor was the son of the late ANP leader Bashir Bilour, who was also killed in A similar suicide attack when Taliban bomber blew himself up at a party meet in Peshawar in 2012.
The death toll was initially reported at 13, but it rose to 20 overnight, Lady Reading Hospital spokesperson Zulfiqar Ali Baba Khel said
Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)
Mohammad Khurasani, spokesperson for the TTP, identified the suicide bomber as Mujahid Abdul Karim, who targeted ANP leader Bilor
Bilor had been seriously injured in the blast and was shifted to the hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
"I was the revenge of killing and imprisonment of scores of Mujahidden (militants) during ANP regime," Khurasani said, adding that the secular ANP party would remain on target list of TTP.
Bomb disposal squad chief Shafqat Malik said eight kg TNT explosive was used in the blast.
Bilor was laid to rest today in Syed Hasan Pir
Peshawar Capital City Police Officer Qazi Jameel said the Graffiti of thousands of people, including ANP leaders and activists, attended his Wazir Bagh in Peshawar.
provincia Deputy Chief Inspector General of the Counter-Terrorism Department
Pakistan's Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sardar Muhammad Raza Condemned the attack.
"This shows the weakness of our security institutions and a conspiracy against transparent elections," he said.
The Election Commission has postponed the polls in PK-78 constituency.
The ANP is a mainstream national party headed by Asfandyar Wali Khan, the grandson of nationalist leader Abdul Ghaffar Khan commonly referred to as Bacha Khan among the Pushtuns.
Wali said that the party It would be a peaceful day, adding that the ANP would participate in the polls,
"It will not be a good sign for the country if it does not work for patience," he said. 19659003] The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council has also announced a three-day conference in light of the attack, with lawyers beginning the boycott of court proceedings.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf and Pakistan Peoples Party have suspended their political activities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for a day to express solidarity with the Bilor family.
Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa expressed his grievance and shock at the death of Bilor and others in the blast.
"We are fighting against Some of these are not enough to be absorbed by peaceful and stable Pakistan.We remain undeterred and shall defeat them, "he said.
This was the second terrorist attack on an election rally in Pakistan ahead of the general elections.
Earlier this month, seven people including a candidate of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal were injured in an explosion during an election rally near Takhtikhel also in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
The ANP, which governed the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province from 2008 to 2013, has been targeted by the TTP for carrying out operations against militant outfits in the troubled northwestern region of Pakistan and being secular in its ideology.
The militants killed hundreds of ANP leaders and supporters in the 2013 attacks
The National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta) on Monday had told a Senate standing committee that some leading political leaders faced death threats from militant outfits ahead of the July 25 general elections in Pakistan.
The leaders include Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf chief Imran Khan, the sound of Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed, Asfandayar Wali Khan, and senior leadership of other parties.
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