Bomb explodes outside election office killing five in Pakistan

        
A bomb exploded outside an election office of one of Pakistan's main political parties on Thursday evening, killing five people in the latest attack ahead of the nation's May 11 elections.      

As the election approaches, militant groups have increasingly been attacking liberal, secular parties such as the one targeted Thursday in the port city of Karachi.       

The onslaught has forced many of the parties to change their campaign strategy and raised questions about whether the vote can be considered valid if some mainstream parties can't properly take part.        

The bomb that exploded on Thursday night had been planted outside an office used by the Muttahida Quami Movement, a liberal, secular party headquartered in Karachi, said senior police official Amir Farooqi.      

The officer said nine people also were wounded by the bomb, which was attached to a motorcycle.         

Taliban spokesman Ahsanullah Ahsan claimed responsibility for the attack in a telephone call to The Associated Press.        

He said Thursday's attack was part of the Taliban's previously announced strategy to target three political parties.       

In addition to MQM, the Taliban has threatened to attack the Awami National Party, a largely Pashtun partybased in the northwest and in Karachi, and the Pakistan Peoples Party, which won the last election.        

The ANP and the MQM were also part of the last government. All three are perceived as being liberal parties that have earned the Taliban's ire by advocating against the militants and extremism.          

Earlier, the Taliban killed at least two political party representatives and attacked a number of political events, particularly targeting the ANP in the northwest.


AP