Bomb blast near Pakistan party office kills 10

27 April AFP

At least 10 people were killed and 17 wounded when a car bomb exploded near a secular party’s election office in Pakistan’s commercial hub Karachi late Friday, officials said, the latest violence ahead of historic polls next month.

The powerful explosion went off as a candidate for the Pashtun-dominated Awami National Party prepared to address a corner meeting in the city’s poor western neighbourhood of Mominabad, local police officer Mohammad Khan said.

Bashir Jan, who is standing for election in the country’s national parliament, escaped unhurt according to Qadir Khan, a member of his party.

The blast was heard from several kilometres away and damaged nearby shops and houses, witnesses said, while police added it destroyed some 10 cars and a dozen motorcycles.“It was huge blast, I thought it was an earthquake,” resident Gul Ahmed said.