Islamabad, Nov 7: A former mayor and leader of the secular Awami National Party was killed along with his son and bodyguard in northwest Pakistan when a suicide bomber blew himself up outside a prayer ground just as the victims were returning after offering Eid prayers.
Seven other persons were injured as the bomber detonated his explosives outside the prayer ground in Swabi, around 90 kms from Peshawar, police said. The wounded were rushed to a nearby hospital.
Former nazim (mayor) Hanif Jadoon, a leader of the ANP, was killed, along with his son and bodyguard in the attack. President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the attack that came on the day when people were celebrating Eid ul Azha, saying it reflected the “callousness and barbarism” of the terrorists.
The government had put in place strict security arrangements across Pakistan to prevent terrorist attacks. No group claimed responsibility for the suicide bombing though such attacks are usually blamed on the Pakistani Taliban.
Taliban suicide bombers have targeted Eid congregations in the past too.
In December 2007, former federal minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao had a narrow escape when a suicide bomber blew himself up during Eid prayers in Charsadda, killing over 50 people and injuring over 100.
Jadoon was a leader of the Awami National Party that rules the northwestern Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.
Dozens of ANP workers and leaders have been killed in attacks by the Taliban in the past few years.
