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Blast deepens uncertainty in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: At least four security forces personnel were killed in a suicide attack on a bus carrying cadets of the armed forces medical corps in Rawalpindi on Monday, deepening the political uncertainty ahead of the February 18 elections.

The military said 22 persons, including civilians, were wounded in the attack. At least five of the injured are in critical condition.

Unconfirmed media reports said 10 persons were killed in the attack.

The suicide bomber rammed his motorbike into the bus outside the gates of the Army-run National Logistics Center, which provides back up support to the armed forces at all times.

The attack took place at about 7.30 am, when there is a heavy school rush on the roads. Two other cars were also caught in the attack and those inside them were among the wounded.

This is the fourth attack in Rawalpindi targeted at security forces personnel.

Meanwhile, Geo reported that four suicide bombers were on the loose in the Punjab province and planned to target political leaders ahead of the elections.

An official of the Punjab Home Ministry told the channel that three would-be suicide bombers arrested in Jhang with large quantities of explosives and suicide jackets had told interrogators that four of their comrades were on the prowl in different parts of the province.

A 16-year-old boy was reportedly arrested in Dera Ismail Khan in the North-West Frontier Province over the weekend for allegedly plotting a suicide attack on the Jamiat-e-Ulema Islami chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

In Peshawar, the former Minister, Nilofar Bakhtiar, said the situation in the country was not conducive to holding elections and called for the formation of a national government.

But Information Minister Nisar Memon, who was in the same city, said the government was “firmly committed” to holding the elections on February 18 and urged people to participate in the process.

Mr. Memon said people were making speculative statements to confuse people about the intentions of the government. The government had made an elaborate security plan to ensure maximum participation in the election, he said.

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