Dozens killed, injured in renewed Pakistan violence

A suicide bombing and an attack by militants boost the toll to more than 250 deaths since government forces stormed a radical mosque last month.
By Laura King
Times Staff Writer

11:51 AM PDT, August 4, 2007

New violence flared today in Pakistan's rugged border region, where a suicide bombing and an attack by militants on an army checkpoint left at least 23 people dead and dozens injured.

More than 250 people have been killed in a wave of bombings and other attacks that began after government forces stormed a radical mosque last month in the capital, Islamabad.

Insurgent groups, many of which have their bases in the tribal belt straddling the Afghan border, have vowed to exact vengeance for the mosque assault, which left more than 100 people dead.

Pakistan's president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, is under heavy pressure from the Bush administration to rein in the militants. But in his politically weakened state, some observers have questioned his commitment to an all-out battle in the frontier region.

The suicide attacker, driving a car packed with explosives, struck near a busy bus station in the town of Parachinar in the North-West Frontier province, which borders Afghanistan. The bomber apparently tried to ram into a bus packed with passengers but hit a vehicle next to it instead.

At least nine people were killed and more than 40 hurt in the blast, local officials said. Some of the most seriously injured were taken to the provincial capital, Peshawar, for treatment.

In the semiautonomous tribal region of North Waziristan, where a pact between militants and the government broke down last month, insurgents attacked a security checkpoint before dawn, setting off a firefight that lasted hours and left four soldiers and 10 militants dead.

Such attacks have become more brazen in recent weeks, and insurgents are using more and more sophisticated weaponry, military officials said.

Also today a senior opposition leader was released from prison, a day after the Supreme Court ordered that bail be granted while his case was reviewed.

Javed Hashmi, who had spent four years behind bars on charges of inciting mutiny, emerged to the cheers of supporters in the city of Lahore.

Before being sentenced to a 23-year jail term, Hashmi was a vociferous critic of Musharraf, who seized power in a coup eight years ago. Confrontation has been brewing for months between the general and an emboldened pro-democracy movement that has demanded that he relinquish his military role or step aside.

Hashmi, a member of the party of exiled former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, said he would immediately join forces with those seeking to oust Musharraf.

"There will be no compromise with dictators," he told reporters outside the jail. "I will only consider myself a free man when the entire nation will get freedom from these generals."

laura.king@latimes.com