This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/17/world/asia/Suicide-Attack-in-Pakistan-Kills-Provincial-Official-and-at-Least-9-of-His-Guests.html

The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 3 Version 4
Suicide Attack in Pakistan Kills Provincial Official Suicide Bomber in Pakistan Kills a Senior Provincial Official
(about 2 hours later)
PESHAWAR, Pakistan — A suicide bomber killed a senior provincial official and at least nine guests at the official’s home in northwestern Pakistan on Wednesday, in the most high-profile political assassination by the Islamist insurgency there this year.PESHAWAR, Pakistan — A suicide bomber killed a senior provincial official and at least nine guests at the official’s home in northwestern Pakistan on Wednesday, in the most high-profile political assassination by the Islamist insurgency there this year.
The official, Israr Gandapur, the law minister in Khyber-Pakh-
tunkhwa Province, was exchanging greetings with neighbors to mark the Id al-Adha religious holiday at his village near Dera Ismail Khan, in the west of the province, when the bomber struck, provincial officials and the police said.		The official, Israr Gandapur, the law minister in Khyber-Pakh-
tunkhwa Province, was exchanging greetings with neighbors to mark the Id al-Adha religious holiday at his village near Dera Ismail Khan, in the west of the province, when the bomber struck, provincial officials and the police said.
The attacker fatally shot a police guard outside the gate before rushing toward the room where the minister was receiving visitors. Mr. Gandapur, 38, and at least nine other people were killed in the blast, and at least 30 were wounded, the police said.The attacker fatally shot a police guard outside the gate before rushing toward the room where the minister was receiving visitors. Mr. Gandapur, 38, and at least nine other people were killed in the blast, and at least 30 were wounded, the police said.
Witnesses described scenes of carnage as villagers dressed in new clothes for the holiday were either killed or badly wounded. “There were arms, legs and heads everywhere,” one witness, Haseeb Khan, told Reuters.Witnesses described scenes of carnage as villagers dressed in new clothes for the holiday were either killed or badly wounded. “There were arms, legs and heads everywhere,” one witness, Haseeb Khan, told Reuters.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but government officials in Dera Ismail Khan blamed a local affiliate of the Pakistani Taliban, which was formed in the neighboring South Waziristan tribal district about seven years ago.There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but government officials in Dera Ismail Khan blamed a local affiliate of the Pakistani Taliban, which was formed in the neighboring South Waziristan tribal district about seven years ago.
Mr. Gandapur was the most senior member of the Tehreek-i-Insaf party, led by the former cricket star Imran Khan, to be killed since the party came to power in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa after the May elections.Mr. Gandapur was the most senior member of the Tehreek-i-Insaf party, led by the former cricket star Imran Khan, to be killed since the party came to power in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa after the May elections.
Mr. Khan strongly supports peace negotiations with the Pakistani Taliban, a once-controversial position that has more recently become part of mainstream political thinking.Mr. Khan strongly supports peace negotiations with the Pakistani Taliban, a once-controversial position that has more recently become part of mainstream political thinking.
Mr. Khan has called for a cease-fire with the Taliban umbrella group, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, and for the militants to be allowed to open a political office. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the army chief, Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, also support talks.Mr. Khan has called for a cease-fire with the Taliban umbrella group, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, and for the militants to be allowed to open a political office. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the army chief, Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, also support talks.
But little progress has been made, and Wednesday’s attack underscored the difficulty of negotiating with a group that seeks to violently upend the democratic process.
The Taliban say they want to overthrow the state and impose Islamic law, and have set the release of prisoners and an end to American drone strikes as preconditions for any talks.
Mr. Gandapur is the third lawmaker from Mr. Khan’s party to die in a militant attack this year. Two provincial lawmakers from Hangu and Mardan, who like Mr. Gandapur were elected as independents but later supported Mr. Khan’s party, were killed in June.
Local officials said they believed Wednesday’s attack was carried out by the Gandapur Group, a faction of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan. “This is the strongest group in that part of the province; it is an affiliate of the T.T.P.,” said a senior government official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment on the subject.
Mr. Gandapur was a seasoned politician. He recently earned the wrath of the Taliban after announcing he would stop the infiltration of militants from the tribal belt into his district.
Mr. Khan, the party head, said on Twitter on Wednesday evening that he was “shocked and saddened” at the killing of Mr. Gandapur, but he did not blame any particular group.

Ismail Khan reported from Peshawar, and Declan Walsh from London. Ihsanullah Tipu Mehsud contributed reporting from Islamabad, Pakistan.

Ismail Khan reported from Peshawar, and Declan Walsh from London. Ihsanullah Tipu Mehsud contributed reporting from Islamabad, Pakistan.