Another bomb in Rawalpindi: 7 dead, all soldiers
Islamabad (AsiaNews/Agencies) – A suicide bomber on a motorbike, packed with explosives detonated himself against a military convoy which was transporting officers Rawalpindi, close to the capital Islamabad. First estimates speak of 7 dead and dozens seriously wounded.
Police official Abdul Waheed said the bus was destroyed in the explosion on a road running through a bazaar near the offices of the army's engineering department. It was not immediately clear which branch of the armed forces the passengers were from.
It is the latest in a series of attacks targeting Rawalpindi, the military city which is home to president Musharraf and high ranking Pakistani army officials. It was in this heavily fortified city that opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was killed on December 27th last.
Authorities have blamed Taliban militants for the spate of suicide bombings which so far have killed over 200 people. According to some analysts however, all the blame cannot be placed at the door of the Islamic extremists: the bombs, which target military or political figures. Could in fact be an attempt to undermine the current election campaign in the country.
On February 18th parliamentary elections will be held to decide the National Assembly as well as 4 provincial assemblies: the vote, which conditioned by the president’s mandate, has created widespread discontent in Islamic circles of national politics. They fear popular misgivings over their permissive attitude to president Musharraf’s re-election.
.png)
11/07/2008
