2 Americans among 4 killed in Peshawar blast

2 Americans among 4 killed in Peshawar blast peshawar A couple of senior American diplomats narrowly escaped a deadly suicide explosion outside the UN office as the blast left at least four people including two Americans dead and nineteen others seriously wounded in a heavily guarded locality in the provincial metropolis Monday Morning. The injured also include two Americans and equal number of Pakistani staffers of the US consulate in Peshawar. While the US embassy in Islamabad confirmed suicide attack targeting the vehicle of US consulate and injuries to a few Americans as well as Pakistani staffers of the consulate, the independent sources as well as the senior functionaries of the KP government confirmed that two American also succumbed to their wounds in the Monday’s suicide hit. The eye witness and the law enforcers said a suicide bomber rammed his explosive laden vehicle with a Land Cruiser of the American consulate outside the office of United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) situated at a red zone in Abdara road University town around nine in the morning. Both the vehicles were destroyed after the blast that created a big bang as the heavy smoke billowing from the site of the blast could be seen from long distance. The blast also created a big crater at the site. The law enforces as well as personnel of the sensitive agencies immediately rushed to the site of the explosion and cordoned off the area before the victims were rushed to the nearby Khyber Teaching Hospital where emergency was declared. The US embassy statement while denied killing of any American in the blast, the provincial minister for information MianIftikhar said probably two Americans were killed in the explosion and the target was the US consulate vehicle. Police has recovered a half-burnt US passport from a car badly damaged in the blast and was shown on various TV channels. “The miscreants targeted the Land Cruiser of US embassy in the highly sensitive and heavily guarded area of University town in Peshawar Monday morning that killed at least one US citizen and a staffer of the US embassy besides a passerby and the fourth person could be the suicide bomber”. A senior security official said as the Bomb Disposal Squad said heavy explosive material up to 110 kg was used in the blast. It was also said that a few foreigners as well as Pakistani staffers working with the US mission in Pakistan were included in the wounded persons. In Islamabad, the US Charged’ Affairs Richard Hoagland issued a statement to media, It has: “I am grateful for the humane professionalism of the local Pakistani security forces that saved lives of the two American Diplomats and two Pakistani local staff of the U.S. Consulate General Peshawar by pulling them to safety after their vehicle was attacked. In this dangerous world where terrorists can strike at any moment, we must all work together – Pakistanis and Americans alike – because we have a strong mutual interest in defeating terrorism.” The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor, Barrister Masood Kausar has strongly condemned the suicide attack adjacent to diplomatic offices in Peshawar on Monday and has expressed his deep shock and sorrow over the loss of precious lives. Expressing his heartfelt sympathies with members of the bereaved families, the Governor prayed for the early recovery of the injured. JIT constituted Islamabad —Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik taking notice of gruesome Peshawar blast has constituted a Joint Investigative Team to probe the incident. Five persons including two Americans were killed and nineteen others injured in a suicide attack outside the office of UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Peshawar on Monday morning. Interior Minister has condemned the terror attack in Peshawar. In a statement he said such incidents of terror cannot deter the government’s resolve to wipe out the menace of terrorism. Condemning the blast, Interior Minister Rehman Malik has sought report IG Police Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. He ordered for immediate probe and to constitute a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) at the earliest. He further added that the team will be headed by Additional Secretary Interior and will consist of Additional IG police KP FIA and IB representatives. —Online