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A suicide bombing at an election rally in Pakistan has killed at least 54 people, including five children, and injured nearly 200 people. The attack targeted the Jamiat Ulema Islam party, which has ties to the Taliban. Police suspect that the Islamic State group’s regional affiliate or breakaway factions of the Pakistani Taliban may be responsible for the attack. The bombing comes ahead of fall elections in Pakistan and is seen as an attempt to cause instability and unrest. Funerals for the victims are being held, and condolences have been expressed from across the country. ANWARULLAH KHAN and RIAZ KHAN, Associated Press reported
KHAR, Pakistan (AP) — A suicide bombing at an election rally in Pakistan has claimed the lives of at least 54 people, including five children, and left nearly 200 others wounded. The attack took place in the district of Bajur, which has a strong presence of Islamist groups and borders Afghanistan. The rally was organized by the Jamiat Ulema Islam party, which has ties to the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban. No one has claimed responsibility for the bombing yet, but initial investigations suggest the involvement of the Islamic State group’s regional affiliate or breakaway factions of the Pakistani Taliban. The attack is seen as reflecting divisions between different Islamist groups in the region. The Pakistani military had previously cleared Bajur of militants in 2016, but the Jamiat Ulema Islam party, led by hard-line cleric Fazlur Rehman, remains a potent political force. The bombing has caused widespread shock and grief, with mourners attending funerals and expressing their condolences. The incident highlights the security challenges faced by Pakistan ahead of upcoming fall elections..
