Pak election candidate escapes bid on life

Islamabad: A candidate in Pakistan`s upcoming general election had a narrow escape today when a suicide bomber blew himself up near his motorcade in southern Sindh province, injuring two persons. The attacker targeted National People`s Party leader Ibrahim Jatoi`s convoy at a toll plaza in Shikarpur area this morning.

Jatoi told the media that he was not injured by the blast. Two of Jatoi`s supporters were wounded and two vehicles in the motorcade were destroyed. Jatoi is contesting polls to a parliamentary seat in Shikarpur area. Police officials confirmed the attack had been carried out by a suicide bomber. They said they had found the head and body parts of the attacker. Security forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation after the attack. At Dera Murad Jamali in Balochistan province, a car bomb went off near the motorcade of independent candidate Allahdino Umrani though there were no casualties. No group claimed responsibility for both attacks, the latest in a series of bombings targeting politicians and campaign meetings ahead of Pakistan’s landmark May 11 general election, which will mark the first democratic transition of power in the country’s history. PTI