Five killed in bomb blast near JUI-F convoy

A remote-controlled bomb went off near a JUI-F convoy

Five people were killed when a remote-controlled bomb went off near a JUI-F convoy in Bannu. Thirty-five people have been injured.

Akram Khan Durrani, a former CM of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, remained unhurt in the attack. He is the JUI-F's candidate against PTI chief Imran Khan on the NA-35 seat in Bannu. Police say the attack took place 50 metres away from Durrani's election rally. Forty policemen were deployed at his rally for security.

Two children and a number of women were among the 35 injured in the attack.

The convoy came under attack while returning to Bannu after a rally in Hawaid. The injured, some of whom are women, children and policemen, were shifted to a medical facility in private vehicles. Durrani arrived at the hospital to visit them.

[caption id="attachment_1479477" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Former Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa CM Akram Durrani delivers a speech at the provincial assembly in Peshawar, 13 November 2006. Photo: AFP[/caption]

Security forces have cordoned off the area. A search operation is underway. The public is not being allowed entry to the site of the blast.

Strongly condemn the terrorist attack on Akram Durrani & his convoy. There seems to be a conspiracy to sabotage the 25 July elections but the people of Pakistan will not allow any design intended to target these historic elections to succeed.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) July 13, 2018

Durrani came under attack in 2015 as well. On November 26, 2015, at least two people were killed when a roadside bomb hit Durrani's convoy. Durrani survived the attack.

On July 10, a blast took place in Peshawar at an ANP rally. Haroon Bilour, a party leader, and 21 others were killed. TTP claimed responsibility for the attack. This was the first major incident of violence ahead of the elections in Pakistan.