12 die in campaign attacks

Los Angeles Times

PESHAWAR, Pakistan

At least 12 people were killed and 43 were injured Sunday in bomb blasts targeting a candidate’s convoy and the election offices of two others in northwestern Pakistan. They were the latest in a series of terrorist strikes that have cast a shadow over parliamentary voting scheduled for mid-May.

In recent weeks, Pakistan has been rocked by bombings directed primarily at candidates and backers of three liberal, secular parties, including President Asif Ali Zardari’s Pakistan People’s Party, which has led the civilian government for the last five years.

The bombings have occurred almost daily, and have included attacks on candidates’ headquarters, on small political gatherings and on the candidates as they drive from one campaign event to another. Several weeks ago, the Pakistani Taliban had warned that it would attack candidates and leaders of the three secular parties because it regards them as enemies of Islam.

Taliban leaders have claimed responsibility for many of the recent attacks, including those Sunday.

Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.