24 killed as blasts rip through Pak's cantonment area

Rawalpindi, Sep 4 (UNI) At least 24 people were killed and nearly 65 injured as two powerful bomb explosions today rocked the high security cantonment area, in a deliberate attempt to create terror in Pakistan ahead of the proposed election between September 15 and October 15.

The casualty figure could go high drastically, according to senior police officials.

About 15 to 17 people were killed in a bus explosion in Qasim Market at 0720 hrs local time, while around ten people died at R A Bazaar when a bomb planted in a motorbike went off.

The death of 24 people, mostly Pakistani Atomic Energy Commission employees, was confirmed by military spokesman Major General Waheed Arshad.

Meanwhile, sources said the authorities fear more such attacks on innocent people in the coming days.

Interior Minister Javed Iqbal Cheema said the blasts could be linked to the violence in South Waziristan where the terrorists have reportedly taken some 150 security personnel hostage demanding withdrawal of forces from the region.

Federal Railway Minister Sheikh Rashid told Geo TV that such incidents would hamper the election process between mid-September and October.

President Pervez Musharraf is said to be holding secret talks with former prime minister Benazir Bhutto to strike a deal under which he could continue as President and she could return home to contest the election.

Another former prime minister Nawaz Shariff has announced that he would return to Pakistan on September 10.

UNI