Suicide bomb kills 40 in Pakistan

A SUICIDE bomber blew himself up yesterday at a large meeting called by tribal elders pushing for peace in north-western Pakistan, killing at least 40 people and injuring more than 100, said witnesses and officials.

It was the third suicide bombing in as many days in the volatile north-west, where security forces were battling pro-Taliban Islamic militants. Thousands of people were at the meeting in Darra Adam Khel in the North West Frontier Province, about 40km south of the provincial capital Peshawar. The five tribes involved wanted to finalise a resolution calling for punishing anyone who sheltered or helped militants, including those of al-Qaida and the Taliban, said Interior Ministry spokesman Javed Iqbal Cheema on state-run Pakistan Television.

Alam Khan, a tribesman who attended, said a young man walked up to a group of elders and blew himself up. “It was a huge explosion and left body parts and blood scattered on the ground,” said Ramin Khan, whose left leg and face were wounded. President Pervez Musharraf said the attack was an attempt to sabotage the peace process and reiterated the government’s “resolve and commitment” in the fight against terrorism and extremism.