Karachi: Five persons were killed and 15 others injured on Saturday when a bomb went off near a secular political party's election office in Karachi, hours after thousands of Pakistanis began voting in a landmark general election. The blast occurred near an election office of the Awami National Party in Landhi area of Karachi.
The powerful explosion was heard from several kilometres away and caused panic in the area. State-run Radio Pakistan reported that five persons were killed and 15 injured by the explosion. No group claimed for the attack though the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan has repeatedly targeted the ANP and other secular-leaning parties like the Pakistan Peoples Party
and Muttahida Qaumi Movement during the campaign period.
Several ANP and MQM members, including candidates, were killed in Taliban attacks. Days before the polls, the Taliban threatened it would carry out attacks, including suicide bombings, on election day.
The threat heightened concerns about security for the polls, which mark the first democratic transition of power in Pakistan's history.
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