Pakistan politician's office bombed in Kohat

A bomb attack has killed at least five people at a politician's office in the north-west Pakistani city of Kohat, police say. The bomb was planted outside the campaign office of Syed Noor Akbar, who is running as an independent candidate in the 11 May general election. At least 10 people were wounded. No group has said it carried out the attack. A number of candidates have been targeted by the Taliban for backing army offensives against it. Mr Akbar was not at the office at the time of the attack. Police spokesman Fazal Naeem said the blast damaged shops and vehicles and also hit an office of the Awami National Party (ANP), which has previously been targeted by the Taliban. Tanveer Khan, another police official, told AFP news agency: "The election office was open at the time and supporters (of Mr Akbar) were sitting inside. The death toll may rise, the condition of some of the injured is critical." Correspondents say violence has marred the campaign for the landmark election, in which one civilian government is due to be succeeded by another for the first time in the country's history. On Saturday bomb attacks against supporters of the governing Pakistan People's Party and the opposition MQM in Pakistan's biggest city, Karachi, killed at least five people.