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Pakistan suicide attack on Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam candidate kills 12 | Pakistan suicide attack on Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam candidate kills 12 |
(2 days later) | |
A suicide bomber on a motorcycle detonated explosives near a vehicle carrying an Islamist party candidate in north-west Pakistan, killing 12 people, police have said. | A suicide bomber on a motorcycle detonated explosives near a vehicle carrying an Islamist party candidate in north-west Pakistan, killing 12 people, police have said. |
No one has claimed responsibility for the bombing on Tuesday, but the Taliban took credit for an attack the day before on the same party, claiming it was targeting a candidate who had supported military operations against the militants in the north-west. | No one has claimed responsibility for the bombing on Tuesday, but the Taliban took credit for an attack the day before on the same party, claiming it was targeting a candidate who had supported military operations against the militants in the north-west. |
The latest blast also wounded 35 people, but the candidate from the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam party, Mufti Syed Janan, escaped unharmed, said police officer Haleem Khan. The attack occurred as Janan's convoy passed through a market in the town of Doaba in north-west Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, said Khan. | The latest blast also wounded 35 people, but the candidate from the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam party, Mufti Syed Janan, escaped unharmed, said police officer Haleem Khan. The attack occurred as Janan's convoy passed through a market in the town of Doaba in north-west Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, said Khan. |
The Pakistani Taliban set off a bomb at a political rally held by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam in the north-west Kurram tribal region on Monday, killing 25 people and wounding 70, said government official Javed Khan. The targeted candidate was not harmed. | The Pakistani Taliban set off a bomb at a political rally held by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam in the north-west Kurram tribal region on Monday, killing 25 people and wounding 70, said government official Javed Khan. The targeted candidate was not harmed. |
The Taliban have carried out multiple attacks in the runup to national elections scheduled for 11 May. Most of the attacks have targeted secular parties that have opposed the militants and backed the army's attempt to clear them from their sanctuaries in the north-west. | The Taliban have carried out multiple attacks in the runup to national elections scheduled for 11 May. Most of the attacks have targeted secular parties that have opposed the militants and backed the army's attempt to clear them from their sanctuaries in the north-west. |
Prior to the last two days' bombings, there was concern that the attacks could benefit parties that take a softer line toward the militants, such as Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, because their candidates are able to campaign more freely. | Prior to the last two days' bombings, there was concern that the attacks could benefit parties that take a softer line toward the militants, such as Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, because their candidates are able to campaign more freely. |
But the Taliban has condemned democracy as a whole, meaning that any political party taking part in the elections could be considered fair game by the militant group. Militants have warned people in many areas to stay away from the polls on election day. | But the Taliban has condemned democracy as a whole, meaning that any political party taking part in the elections could be considered fair game by the militant group. Militants have warned people in many areas to stay away from the polls on election day. |
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam is considered as a supporter of the Afghan Taliban's fight against the U S and its allies in neighbouring Afghanistan. It is also sympathetic to the Pakistani Taliban, which has been fighting Pakistani troops and would like to establish a hardline Islamic government in Pakistan. The group's leaders have generally opposed the Pakistani military's operations against the militants and instead called for negotiating with them. | Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam is considered as a supporter of the Afghan Taliban's fight against the U S and its allies in neighbouring Afghanistan. It is also sympathetic to the Pakistani Taliban, which has been fighting Pakistani troops and would like to establish a hardline Islamic government in Pakistan. The group's leaders have generally opposed the Pakistani military's operations against the militants and instead called for negotiating with them. |
But that has not made the group immune. | But that has not made the group immune. |
In 2011, a suicide bomber struck a convoy in which the party's head, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, was travelling through north-western Pakistan, killing 12 people. | In 2011, a suicide bomber struck a convoy in which the party's head, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, was travelling through north-western Pakistan, killing 12 people. |
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