Five killed in Pakistan attack

Islamabad: At least five people were killed and a number of others were injured on Wednesday in a blast in Pakistan's Punjab province, the police said.

The blast took place outside the election office of an assembly member belonging to the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Party, in Punjab's Dera Ghazi Khan district, district police officer Khan Ghulam Mubashir Maiken said. 

The toll from the attack could rise further as the condition of several of the injured was critical, said the hospital sources.

Eyewitnesses said two attackers drove into the PML-N leader's office and detonated explosives, Dawn online reported.

Around 40 people were present at the election office at the time of the suicide attack, which left five people killed, including a local PML-N leader.

Punjab Governor Rafiq Rajwana and Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif condemned the attack and expressed grief over the loss of lives in the blast.

The blast, which took place days ahead of Muharram, could be heard two kms away. The government has formulated a strict security plan and beefed up security arrangements for the holy month of Muharram.

The incident comes two months after Punjab home minister Shuja Khanzada was killed in a suicide attack on his political office in Attock.

The August 16 explosion left eight people killed and 20 others injured.