PESHAWAR: At least two blasts and gun fire was heard near the office of a political agent on Peshawar's Bara Road whereas five persons were killed and seven others were reportedly injured.
At least two suicide attackers entered the office of the political agent where a jirga (meeting of tribal elders) was being conducted to discuss the upcoming election process in the Federally Administered Tribal Area (Fata). The attackers opened fire when some prisoners were brought to the political agents office.
At least five people were killed and seven others were injured in the incident, according the Lady reading Hospital's (LRH) media cell in-charge. The dead included three personnel of the Khasadar forces and one Line officer were killed whereas the identity of the fifth victim was not clear.
The Assistant Political Agent Landikotal Khalid Mumtaz Kundi was mong those injured in the attack, he was shifted to the Combined Military Hospital Peshawar.
Security forces sealed off the area around Bara and Mall road areas. Army personnel also reached the site of attack participated in the operation against the attackers.
A search operation was conducted in the area to ensure it was cleared out of the attackers.
The AIG bomb disposal squad, Shafqat Malik told Dawn.com that one of the suicide attackers entered the control room and blew himself inside the offices destroying it completely, which also left many people injured, adding the second suicide bomber exploded near the Jirga hall .
He said that about eight kilograms of high quality explosives were used in each of the jackets.
Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf's (PTI) president of Khyber tribal region, Iqbal Afridi, who was witness to the attack said that he had seen the bodies of one of the attackers after he had blown himself inside the office.
“We were inside the Political Agent Muttahir Zaib office and having a meeting on code of elections in the tribal areas, when the attackers which I believe were two entered and launched the attack,” he added
Another attendee of the meeting Shah HUssain belonging to the Awami National Party (ANP) said “About 30 members having affiliation to different political parties were having the meeting when the attack was launched by suicide bombers.”
“We were having a meeting with the APA Landikotal Mumtaz Kundi, inside his office, and as soon as I along with others came out, a huge explosion took place and the building collapsed, perhaps the APA was trapped under it,” he said.
According to another eyewitness account two attackers entered the office of the political agent situated on Peshawar's Bara road and opened fire with rocketss. The attackers then fired AK-47 rifles rounds before blowing themselves inside the premises.
Police officials said that apparently there were only two attackers and that both of them were either killed or had blown themselves up.
The Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province Engineer Shaukatullah Khan speaking to Dawn.Com, said that the terrorist elements by resorting to such attacks are disrupting the peace process, adding “We are heading to peace through talks, so such attacks are beyond thinking.”
“Such attacks would disrupt the peace process but we are assessing the situation how to deal with it,” he added.
The governor said orders have been issued to beef up the security of the political authorities officer across Fata.
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