Taliban claims suicide attack

THE Pakistani Taliban has claimed a suicide bombing at a rally that killed a secular politician and 20 others two weeks before nationwide elections.

A spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban said the group targeted the Awami National Party rally in Peshawar on Tuesday, killing politician Haroon Ahmed Bilour. Another 65 people were wounded.

Extremists grew to despise the ANP when it ruled the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, of which Peshawar is the capital, from 2008 to 2013.