Three blasts in quick succession injured 10 people at a Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) public meeting in Nowshera on Tuesday, police officials said. Three of the injured are said to be in critical condition. The explosions occurred around 4pm during the public meeting at NowsheraÂ’s main chowk, Sirajul Haq, former NWFP senior minister and JI leader, told Daily Times. JI chief Qazi Hussain Ahmed and other leaders were on the stage at the time. The blasts disrupted the public meeting and terrified the participants, who ran for cover, triggering a minor stampede. There were also reports of scuffles between the protestors and police. Police officials said heavy security was deployed at the public meeting, held to protest at a by-election in Bajaur that is due today. Qazi accused the government and intelligence agencies of planting the bombs.
The JI leader set a three-day deadline for the government to arrest the men behind the blasts, otherwise the party would launch a countrywide agitation against the government.
Online adds: An Interior Ministry statement said the blast took place at a telephone distribution point close to the rally at Nowshera, and that six of the 10 injured have been discharged from hospital. “Law and order being a provincial subject, the federal government has asked the NWFP government to investigate the incident,” it said.