MINGORA: Thirty-four people, including four children, were killed and more than a dozen injured in an attack – which police have described as a suicide bombing – at a polling station set up for a by-election in Bunir district of NWFP on Sunday. Bunir lies on the edge of Swat valley. Police said the bomber targeted the polling station – set up at a primary school – with an explosives-laden car when people were casting their vote in the by-election for the constituency NA-28. The seat fell vacant when Awami National Party (ANP) parliamentarian Abdul Matin Khan passed away. News agencies said four children and two policemen were among the dead. The school building collapsed.
Swat-based Taliban have claimed responsibility and warned of more attacks, with their spokesman saying the polling station had been targeted to avenge the killing of six Taliban by Bunir locals.
Officials said the ballot was suspended following the bombing.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani have condemned the attack, and ordered an investigation.
| Attaboy, Gomez, investigate that one. Sure beats doing anything about it. |