Blast at Baluchistan rally;shots fired at US diplomat’s vehicle

Violent incidents have been increasing in nuclear-armed Pakistan in recent weeks, while its ruling politicians have been distracted by infighting.

US ally Pervez Musharraf’s resignation as President under threat of impeachment last week was followed by bickering in the ruling coalition and the departure of one of its main parties.

Allies and analysts fear the squabbling could keep the Government from dealing effectively with economic problems and violent Islamist militants, especially in northwestern areas on the Afghan border where militants have sanctuaries.

In Peshawar, gunmen fired four shots at a US consulate vehicle carrying three staff members on Tuesday, but there were no injuries, police said.

“Gunmen in a landcruiser opened fire at the car but no one was hurt,” said city police official Raziq Khan.

He declined to say who was in the vehicle, but police said one passenger was the consulate’s principal officer.

US diplomatic staff usually travel in armoured vehicles, but Fintor said he did not know if the vehicle attacked on Tuesday was armoured.

In Baluchistan, a photographer at the rally in the town of Dera Allah Yar, 300 km south of the Baluchistan capital Quetta, said he saw several bodies at the scene of the blast but police said there were no dead.

“The device was planted on a motorcycle and went off when activists of a nationalist party were marching. There were no deaths but 21 people were wounded,” said senior police officer Nazir Ahmed Kurd.

Nationalists politicians and autonomy-seeking rebels have been pushing for greater control of Baluchistan's gas and mineral resources for decades.