Suspected militants attack police truck after Imran's rally

Islamabad, Feb 10: At least a dozen people were injured on Saturday when suspected militants lobbed grenades and fired at a police truck soon after a rally addressed by cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan in northwest Pakistan.

The attackers hurled two grenades and fired with automatic weapons at the truck at Swabi in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, police officials said. Imran had left the area after addressing the rally organised by his Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf party and was not near the site of the attack, witnesses said.

Seven police personnel, including a woman constable, were among the 12 injured. They were taken to a nearby hospital. Officials described the condition of two of the injured as serious. Speaking to Geo News channel, Imran said he was safe. He said the attack took place after he had left the venue of the rally.

Footage on television showed people lifting some injured persons and putting them into private vehicles. An injured man lay in a pool of blood on the road. The police truck was damaged by the blasts.

The attack caused panic in the area and people rushed out of the venue of the rally. Shops in a nearby market closed down. No group claimed responsibility for the attack.

PTI