Female bomber targets politician in Pakistan

A woman suicide bomber detonated her explosives near the convoy of a former leader of Pakistan’s largest Islamist party, a government official said today.

Shamsur Rehman Khan said Qazi Husain Ahmad, the former chief of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan, escaped unhurt in the attack in the Mohmand tribal region in the north-west. Three of his aides were injured.

Mr Khan, who is a government administrator in Mohmand, said the bomber was wearing an all-encompassing burqa and had explosives strapped to her body.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Pakistani Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud reportedly criticised Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan and singled out Mr Ahmad in particular in a recent audio message, accusing him of supporting Pakistan’s US-allied rulers.