44 dead in political suicide bombing
At least 44 people have died in an explosion at a political rally in northwest Pakistan. Officials said more than 100 people had been injured in the suspected suicide bombing, with the death toll expected to rise. The attack targeted supporters of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), an Islamist party that is part of the country’s governing coalition. Nobody has yet claimed responsibility, but the local branch of Islamic State has previously targeted JUI-F party leaders because of their links to the Taliban administration in neighbouring Afghanistan. The attack is “yet another reminder that militancy remains ascendant in Pakistan, and insecurity is likely to rise in the coming months,” Asfandyar Mir, a senior expert at the United States Institute of Peace, told the NYT. The country is preparing for elections due later this year.
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