Thaindian News

PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN (BNO NEWS) — A powerful explosion at a bazaar in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar during a political rally on Monday killed at least 21 people and injured scores of others, according to local television reports. The toll is expected to rise.

Private TV channel Express News reported that at least 21 people had been killed in the blast, which happened during a rally of Jamat-e-Islami near Kabli police station. An emergency has been declared at the Lady Reading Hospital, which is close to the scene. An unknown number of people, said to be more than 30, were injured.

Jamat-e-Islami head Haji Dost Muhammad was believed to be among the injured in the blast. Express News reported that the general secretary of the party was also among the injured. It said the blast was believed to be a suicide bombing, and said it caused the maximum casualties because the bomber managed to get to the center of the rally.

Earlier on Monday, a car bomb explosion outside the Police Public School in Peshawar killed a boy and injured eleven others, mostly students at the school. The U.S. Embassy in Islamabad ’strongly condemned’ the attack.

“The deliberate targeting of children makes this terrorist attack particularly reprehensible,” said Richard Snelsire, a spokesman for the Embassy. “We extend our condolences to the victims’ families and friends and hope for the speedy recovery of those injured.”