Pakistan attack victims mourned as death toll rises to 27

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PESHAWAR, Pakistan, Feb 10 (AP): Hundreds of mourners wept Sunday as villagers buried the victims of a suicide bombing at a Pakistani political gathering, an attack that killed 27 people and stoked fears about security ahead of this month's crucial parliamentary elections.
Saturday's blast devastated a hall where about 200 people had gathered for a rally in the town of Charsadda, located in the turbulent North West Frontier province, where Islamic extremists have been battling government forces.
The rally was organized by the Awami National Party - a secular group that competes against Islamist parties for support among the ethnic Pashtun community.
"The entire village is grieving," said Tariq Khan, who attended the funeral for three men from Nahqi village. "Their relatives were crying and others were deeply grieved."
He said the Awami party had promoted peace in the turbulent North West Frontier area and "we do not understand why such a big attack happened."
No group claimed responsibility but suspicion fell on Islamic extremists linked to the Taliban and al-Qaeda. Police recovered what they believe was the head of the bomber and planned DNA tests to try to establish his identity.
Mohammed Adeel, secretary general of the party, said 27 people died and 50 were wounded. Eighteen of the wounded were in serious condition, he said.
He said the attack pointed to a conspiracy against ethnic Pashtuns, who live on both sides of the Pakistan-Afghan border and that "religious as well ethnic and government elements" were involved. He did not elaborate.
The suicide attack underscored the deep tensions in Pakistan as the nation heads toward the Feb. 18 elections, which are meant to restore democracy after eight years of military rule. But campaigning has been overshadowed by the December 27 assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, which US and Pakistani officials blame on Islamic militants.
Concern is mounting in both Pakistan and the United States about the rise in violence in the volatile border area, where American officials believe that al-Qaeda and the Afghan Taliban are regrouping after being driven out of Afghanistan.
The chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen, conferred in Peshawar Sunday with Pakistani military commanders running the battle against the extremists. He met a day earlier with Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf and army generals to discuss the situation along the frontier.
US officials hope the elections will help calm political passions, which have been sharpening since last March when Musharraf sought to rein in the country's independent judiciary. That move led to a sharp drop in support for Musharraf among urban professionals and other moderate groups in Pakistan.