ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Twelve people were killed in Pakistan on Saturday in a suspected suicide bomb blast near the office of an election candidate supported by assassinated opposition leader Benazir Bhutto's party, an official said.
The campaign for Monday's general election has beenovershadowed by security fears, especially after former primeminister Bhutto was killed in a gun and suicide bomb attack onDecember 27.
"It's a very bad situation. Bodies are lying everywhere butwe have not yet counted them," Muneer Hussain Bangash, a doctorin the main government hospital in the northwestern town ofParachinar, told Reuters.
An intelligence official in the region said 12 people hadbeen killed and the toll could rise.
A resident of the town, in the Kurram region on the Afghanborder, said the explosion occurred as the candidate'ssupporters were going into his office after a rally. He said hesaw limbs scattered on the ground.
Witnesses said the blast appeared to have been caused by asuicide car bomber who rammed his vehicle into the crowdoutside the candidate's office.
Saturday is the final day of the election campaign. Sundayis a cooling-off day.
The government has deployed more than 80,000 troops for thevote.
(Reporting by Zeeshan Haider; Editing by Catherine Evans)
