PTI halts election campaign in KP after Peshawar blast

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Wednesday announced to observe a day of mourning for the victims of a suicide attack in Peshawar’s Yakatut area. 

PTI information secretary Fawad Chaudhry said the party’s activities in connection with the general elections will remain suspended in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province today.

In a statement, he said the attack was highly deplorable and inhuman. The entire country was upset over the death of ANP leader Haroon Bilour and others in the terrorist attack, he added.

The PTI leader said the party shared the grief of the Bilour family and the ANP.

At least 21 people died while 75 injured in the explosion that was the first incident of terrorism targeting the election campaign.

The deceased included Awami National Party (ANP) senior leader and provincial assembly candidate for PK-78 Haroon Bilour.

According to police, a suicide attacker entered a corner meeting of the ANP leader and blew himself up.

It is pertinent to note here that Bilour’s father, Bashir Ahmed Bilour, too had lost his life in a 2012 suicide bomb explosion in the city’s historic Qissa Khwani bazar. Late Haroon Bilour was the eldest son of Bashir Bilour and was contesting elections from the same constituency as his late father.