Suicide bomber kills ANP lawmaker

Published December 2, 2009

MINGORA, Dec 1 A teenaged suicide bomber blew himself up, killing ANP lawmaker Shamsher Ali Khan as he was seeing off guests who had come to his house here to offer Eid greetings on Tuesday. Shamsher Khan's two brothers and nine other people were injured.

The man with explosives strapped to his body had walked unchallenged into the Hujra of the MPA's house, witnesses said.

Shamsher Khan died on the spot while his brothers Shaukat Ali Khan and Mohammad Ali Khan were injured.

The other injured were identified as Siddiq Akbar, Mohammad Shah, Rehmani Gul, Amjad, Siraj Khan, Mehar Shah, Shujaat Ali and Rozimand.

They were taken to Saidu hospital where condition of some of them was reported to be critical.

Shamsher Khan, 59, was a seasoned politician and friends and local people affectionately called him as Dr Shamsher. He is the second ANP lawmaker killed by terrorists this year.

Earlier, MPA Alamzeb Khan was killed by a roadside bomb blast in Peshawar.

Swat District police officer Qazi Ghulam Farooq and bomb disposal squad personnel reached the place and collected evidence.

According to the bomb disposal squad personnel, the bomber was about 18 years old, who had used nearly 10 kilograms of explosives.

Police found legs and other parts of the bomber's body and whatever was left of the suicide vest.

Some people blamed inadequate security for the attack.

Agencies add Senior police official Ali Khan said that the politician had been sitting on the lawn in front of his house receiving guests and local constituents when the young man rushed up to him.

“His brother rushed to save the lawmaker but the bomber blew himself up before he could be prevented,” the police official said.

Spin Zada, a doctor at a local government hospital, confirmed that the bodies of Shamsher Khan and the bomber had been brought to the hospital.

Swat was the focus of a fierce military offensive launched earlier this year to rid the one-time tourist paradise of Taliban terrorists.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that the attack would not derail the government's efforts against terrorists.

“Such reprehensible acts can never defeat our resolve to root out terrorism and militancy,” he said.

Opinion

Editorial

IMF’s projections
Updated 18 Apr, 2024

IMF’s projections

The problems are well-known and the country is aware of what is needed to stabilise the economy; the challenge is follow-through and implementation.
Hepatitis crisis
18 Apr, 2024

Hepatitis crisis

THE sheer scale of the crisis is staggering. A new WHO report flags Pakistan as the country with the highest number...
Never-ending suffering
18 Apr, 2024

Never-ending suffering

OVER the weekend, the world witnessed an intense spectacle when Iran launched its drone-and-missile barrage against...
Saudi FM’s visit
Updated 17 Apr, 2024

Saudi FM’s visit

The government of Shehbaz Sharif will have to manage a delicate balancing act with Pakistan’s traditional Saudi allies and its Iranian neighbours.
Dharna inquiry
17 Apr, 2024

Dharna inquiry

THE Supreme Court-sanctioned inquiry into the infamous Faizabad dharna of 2017 has turned out to be a damp squib. A...
Future energy
17 Apr, 2024

Future energy

PRIME MINISTER Shehbaz Sharif’s recent directive to the energy sector to curtail Pakistan’s staggering $27bn oil...