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Pakistan minister Israrullah Gandapur killed in blast | Pakistan minister Israrullah Gandapur killed in blast |
(35 minutes later) | |
A provincial law minister and at least seven other people have been killed in a bombing in north-west Pakistan during the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha. | A provincial law minister and at least seven other people have been killed in a bombing in north-west Pakistan during the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha. |
Israrullah Gandapur was greeting locals at his residence in Kulachi village when a suicide bomber struck, witnesses said. More than 30 others were wounded. | Israrullah Gandapur was greeting locals at his residence in Kulachi village when a suicide bomber struck, witnesses said. More than 30 others were wounded. |
Mr Gandapur's party governs Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a militant stronghold, and backs talks with the militants. | Mr Gandapur's party governs Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a militant stronghold, and backs talks with the militants. |
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. | There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. |
Last week the Pakistani Taliban leader told the BBC he was "open to talks" but would continue to target the US and its allies. | Last week the Pakistani Taliban leader told the BBC he was "open to talks" but would continue to target the US and its allies. |
Mr Gandapur is the most senior member of former cricket star Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party (PTI) to be killed in a wave of attacks which have left hundreds of people dead in recent months. | Mr Gandapur is the most senior member of former cricket star Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party (PTI) to be killed in a wave of attacks which have left hundreds of people dead in recent months. |
The PTI posed a strong challenge to the Pakistan Muslim League which won general elections in May. | |
It narrowly failed to become the country's official opposition but did win most votes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and leads the provincial government there. | |
The party advocates starting peace talks with the Taliban, and also opposes US drone attacks on targets inside Pakistan. | |
'Crying for help' | |
The Associated Press, quoting senior police officer Mohammad Jan, reports that the bomber killed the guard at Mr Gandapur's residence before blowing himself up inside the guest room. | The Associated Press, quoting senior police officer Mohammad Jan, reports that the bomber killed the guard at Mr Gandapur's residence before blowing himself up inside the guest room. |
Mr Gandapur was taken to hospital in a critical condition but died on the way, he said. | Mr Gandapur was taken to hospital in a critical condition but died on the way, he said. |
"I saw so many dead people and injured people crying for help," said eyewitness Haseeb Khan, Reuters news agency reports. | "I saw so many dead people and injured people crying for help," said eyewitness Haseeb Khan, Reuters news agency reports. |
Police have said that they fear casualty figures could rise. | Police have said that they fear casualty figures could rise. |
Pakistan has seen a wave of bomb attacks in recent weeks, much of it centred on the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa capital, Peshawar. | |
Last week, two people were killed by a bomb which went off near campaigners against polio vaccinations in Pakistan. The blast struck a van near a hospital in the Budh Bher suburb of the city. | |
On 29 September an explosion ripped through a market in Peshawar, leaving at least 33 dead and dozens wounded. | |
Two days earlier, at least 17 people were killed in a bus bombing near the city. | |
In one of the worst attacks on Christians in Pakistan, a twin-suicide bombing outside a church in Peshawar killed at least 75 people on 22 September. |