37 dead after suicide blast hits Pakistan election rally
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Saturday, 16, Feb 2008 08:02
Around 37 people have been killed after a suicide blast in Pakistan's tribal region.
The explosion took place in the Kurram region, near an election office for the upcoming general election on Monday.
An election candidate supported by assassinated opposition leader Benazir Bhutto's party is believed to have been the target.
Reuters news agency quotes a resident of the town as claiming the explosion took place as the candidate's supporters were entering the office after a rally.
Reports also claim that the blast was caused by a suicide car bomber driving a vehicle into a crowd outside the office.
"It is a very bad situation. Bodies are lying everywhere but we have not yet counted them," Muneer Hissain Bangash, a doctor at the main government hospital told Reuters.
At least 90 people are reported to be injured, many of them members of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP).
PPP supporter, Zafar Aki, told the Associated Press news agency that: "Several of our party members are lying in a pool of blood. We are taking the injured and dumping them into pickup vans to being them to the hospital."
Today is the final day of campaigning before the general election on Monday.
Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto was killed in an attack on December 27th and there are concerns that the election next week will be overshadowed by continuing violence.