A suicide bomber killed the law minister of a Pakistani province and seven others October 16 as the country marked the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha.
Israr Gandapur was killed in his home as he greeted residents of his home village who had come to celebrate the holiday.
In addition to the eight killed, more than 30 were wounded in the attack, including Gandapur's elder brother, according to Irfan Mahsud, the assistant commissioner in the city of Dera Ismail Khan.
It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the attack.
Gandapur’s home village of Kulachi, where he was killed, is about 31 miles west of Dera Ismail Khan. He was the local chief and the law minister for the northern Khyber Pakutunkhwa province, the heartland of the Taliban.
The province is ruled by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, a party led by former cricketer Imran Khan, which favors peace talks with the Taliban. Gandapur is the most senior member of the party to have been killed so far.
The Taliban have said they are open to talks, but they also say they will not disarm, do not recognize the Pakistani constitution, and will not talk to the government until the army pulls back from their strongholds and all their prisoners are released.
Israr Gandapur was killed in his home as he greeted residents of his home village who had come to celebrate the holiday.
In addition to the eight killed, more than 30 were wounded in the attack, including Gandapur's elder brother, according to Irfan Mahsud, the assistant commissioner in the city of Dera Ismail Khan.
It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the attack.
Gandapur’s home village of Kulachi, where he was killed, is about 31 miles west of Dera Ismail Khan. He was the local chief and the law minister for the northern Khyber Pakutunkhwa province, the heartland of the Taliban.
The province is ruled by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, a party led by former cricketer Imran Khan, which favors peace talks with the Taliban. Gandapur is the most senior member of the party to have been killed so far.
The Taliban have said they are open to talks, but they also say they will not disarm, do not recognize the Pakistani constitution, and will not talk to the government until the army pulls back from their strongholds and all their prisoners are released.
