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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Deadly blast at Pakistan meeting | Deadly blast at Pakistan meeting |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| A suicide bomber has killed at least 27 people in Pakistan after a meeting of murdered ex-PM Benazir Bhutto's party, the interior minister has said. | A suicide bomber has killed at least 27 people in Pakistan after a meeting of murdered ex-PM Benazir Bhutto's party, the interior minister has said. |
| The attack happened on the last day of campaigning ahead of general elections on Monday. | The attack happened on the last day of campaigning ahead of general elections on Monday. |
| The explosion was in Parachinar, the main town of the tribal region of Kurram in north-west Pakistan. | The explosion was in Parachinar, the main town of the tribal region of Kurram in north-west Pakistan. |
| Violence and vote-rigging fears have marred campaigning for the polls, which were postponed after Ms Bhutto's death. | Violence and vote-rigging fears have marred campaigning for the polls, which were postponed after Ms Bhutto's death. |
| Ms Bhutto, the head of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), was assassinated in Rawalpindi on 27 December. | Ms Bhutto, the head of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), was assassinated in Rawalpindi on 27 December. |
| The authorities have insisted they are succeeding in their efforts to ensure the vote will be free and fair. | The authorities have insisted they are succeeding in their efforts to ensure the vote will be free and fair. |
| 'Severe emergency' | 'Severe emergency' |
| A security official said a suicide bomber in a car had carried out the attack outside the PPP office in Parachinar. | A security official said a suicide bomber in a car had carried out the attack outside the PPP office in Parachinar. |
| Several of our party members are lying in a pool of blood Zafar Ali, PPP supporter Poll views from abroadVoters, boycotters | Several of our party members are lying in a pool of blood Zafar Ali, PPP supporter Poll views from abroadVoters, boycotters |
| Interior Minister Hamid Nawaz told French news agency AFP: "It was a suicide attack. There were people outside the candidate's house and they were waiting for food when this man attacked." | Interior Minister Hamid Nawaz told French news agency AFP: "It was a suicide attack. There were people outside the candidate's house and they were waiting for food when this man attacked." |
| At least 90 people were injured, he added. | At least 90 people were injured, he added. |
| Most of the victims appeared to be PPP members, Mushtaq Hussain, an administrative official in the Kurram area told the Associated Press news agency. | Most of the victims appeared to be PPP members, Mushtaq Hussain, an administrative official in the Kurram area told the Associated Press news agency. |
| A PPP supporter, Zafar Ali, told AP: "Several of our party members are lying in a pool of blood. We are taking the injured and dumping them into pickup vans to bring them to the hospital." | A PPP supporter, Zafar Ali, told AP: "Several of our party members are lying in a pool of blood. We are taking the injured and dumping them into pickup vans to bring them to the hospital." |
| Security is high in the run-up to Monday's polls, with some 81,000 soldiers deployed to support police across the country. | Security is high in the run-up to Monday's polls, with some 81,000 soldiers deployed to support police across the country. |
| 'Conspiracy' | 'Conspiracy' |
| The blast came a day after Pakistan's Attorney General Malik Qayyum rejected allegations that there would be massive rigging in the election. | The blast came a day after Pakistan's Attorney General Malik Qayyum rejected allegations that there would be massive rigging in the election. |
| Human Rights Watch released an audio recording in which it says Mr Qayyum makes the comments about rigging. | Human Rights Watch released an audio recording in which it says Mr Qayyum makes the comments about rigging. |
| Mr Qayyum said the allegations were "a conspiracy against Pakistan". | Mr Qayyum said the allegations were "a conspiracy against Pakistan". |
| Mr Qayyum is a close ally of President Pervez Musharraf. | Mr Qayyum is a close ally of President Pervez Musharraf. |
| The president will not be standing in the parliamentary vote on 18 February. | The president will not be standing in the parliamentary vote on 18 February. |
| But the former military leader could face a serious challenge to his authority if the vote produces a hostile parliament packed with his opponents. | But the former military leader could face a serious challenge to his authority if the vote produces a hostile parliament packed with his opponents. |
| The PPP says it will consider street protests if it suspects electoral fraud. | The PPP says it will consider street protests if it suspects electoral fraud. |
| Mr Musharraf has however warned against any such action. | Mr Musharraf has however warned against any such action. |
| He stepped down as army chief late last year and this election is seen as another key step in Pakistan's transition from military to civilian rule. | He stepped down as army chief late last year and this election is seen as another key step in Pakistan's transition from military to civilian rule. |
| In a separate incident on Saturday in the south-western town of Quetta, police fired tear gas and used batons to disperse a rally of about 1,000 people from opposition parties boycotting next week's elections, police and witnesses told AFP. | In a separate incident on Saturday in the south-western town of Quetta, police fired tear gas and used batons to disperse a rally of about 1,000 people from opposition parties boycotting next week's elections, police and witnesses told AFP. |
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