Suicide Bombing in Peshawar - 15 Martyred

Pakistan attack kills 15 people

A bomb blast in Pakistan's north-west city of Peshawar has killed at least 15 people - mostly policemen including two senior officers - officials say.
At least 30 others were injured by the explosion just before a Shia religious procession was to start.

It is not clear who carried out the attack in a crowded area of the city.

This is the second deadly blast in Pakistan in two days. On Friday, a suicide bomber blew himself up at an Islamabad hotel, also killing a guard.

Provincial police chief Sharif Virk said that the city police chief Malik Saab was among the dead, AP news agency reported.

Security forces have been on high alert ahead of the annual Shia festival of Ashoura.

In recent years Sunni extremists have targeted Shias during this period, says the BBC's Barbara Plett in Islamabad.

There have also been threats of retaliation following government strikes against militants in the nearby tribal areas.

'In a bad way'

Most of the victims were police and municipal officials clearing the route for a Shia procession, officer Aziz Khan - who was on duty near the mosque - told AP.

"I was shocked by a big explosion. I thought my eardrums had burst. Then there were flames and the people were in panic.

"I remembered that there was a police contingent, so I went to see what had happened to my colleagues. Many were wounded in a bad way," he said.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/6306049.stm

seems like the peshawar police chief was killed in the blast along with mostly other police officers.

yeah..the Police chief (DIG) was my grandmothers (mums side) nephew

Man straps a bomb to his body, probably says Kalimah and then kills other Muslims - and some people will tell me that its not for us to say whether he will go to Hell or not !

Inna Lillahi Wa Inna Illahi Rajiyoon for the dead and May ALLAHs justice fall on the criminal who carried out and on to those who conspired with him, AMEEN!

inna lilahi wa inna ilaihi rajioon...

Inna Lillahi Wa Inna Illahi Rajiyoon

Inna Lillahi Wa Inna Illahi Rajiyoon

Marriot hotel before that..popular target..

went there for tea/snack once... since than 3 bombings.

Its so upsetting to read all this but in the remeberance of Allah the heart does find peace and comfort.

Condolences - hope nobody from here was affected by it.

terrible news! Inna lilahi wa inna ilaihi rajioon...

I have said it before the only way to stop this nonsense is to improve the education standards in our country....i don't understand why our government is not paying attention to the root cause of the problem!

Malik Saad Was by Far considered THE BEST Police officer in NWFP. As soon as he took over as the CCPO, he headed an operation against the drug dealers in the defacto TRIBAL Area Market "Karkhano". He activated the police, and lots of crimnals were apprehended in the short tenure that he served in Peshawar. Malik Saad was known as "Umar Farooq Saani" for his honesty, integrity and NO Nonsense attitude.
The Single Fact that he being a DIG Police was himself present to check the security speaks volumes of his honesty and Professionalism. Hadn't it been Malik Saad insistence on checking the security himself, the suicide bomber would have exploded himself within the Procession and Only ALLAH knows how many would have been killed.
After the Murder of DIG Abid Ali, one of the bravest police officer of NWFP, the martyrdom of Malik Saad one of the finest cop in the history of NWFP within a month span, has been felt and grieved in NWFP as a Major Loss. Such Officers in Police Cadres are almost impossible to find, and his loss is a big Loss for NWFP, and a big victory for crimnals. Unfortunately the person replacing him isn't exactly a true spirited policeman, hence NWFP would feel Malik Saad's absence more in the times to come..

Has anyone claimed responsibility? What political motive was behind it?

Maybe because the goverment in many cases is the root cause of the problem. Until corruption is cleaned out, there is little hope. Money which should be spent on education is spent in the wrong areas.

Apparently the Suicide bomber was waiting for the Procession to come and explode himself. He was halted by the DSP. Fearing his arrest, he rushed forward towards the police officers, and exploded. The blast was so huge that a nearby building collapsed and body parts flew to all parts. Malik Saad DIG/CCPO, DSP Khan razziq, the SHO of the locality, the Local and visiting Nazim died instantaneously.