2 suicide blasts kill 30 on eve of Sharif’s return

Pervez Musharraf, under intense criticism at home and abroad for imposing emergency rule, agreed to Sharif’s return in discussions with Saudi King Abdullah in Riyadh this week, according to a leader of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League. By returning on Sunday, Sharif will get back in time to file election nominations in order to contest a parliamentary poll on January 8. There has been no official comment from the government.

The blasts heightened fears of insecurity as Pakistan heads towards the polls shceduled for early January amid political convulsions under Emergency Rule.

On Saturday, one car rammed a ministry of defence bus taking personnel to work at an intelligence service office, while another bomber blew up his car at a checkpoint outside army headquarters.

Islamist militants have waged a suicide bomb campaign since the army stormed the Lal Masjid in Islamabad to crush an armed radical movement.

The attack on the bus killed at least 30 people, while two soldiers were critically wounded by a car bomber who detonated explosives when they stopped him less than 100 meters from the main gates to the army’s General Headquarters. Some reports suggested that the death toll could be up to 35.

“Both were suicide attacks,” army spokesman Major-General Waheed Arshad said. “There were 50 people sitting in the bus. Many were injured,” he said.

After Saturday’s attack, police cordoned off the area and put up tents to obscure the view, but a witness saw the burnt-out bus just inside the gate of the intelligence service compound.

Aziz not to contest polls

Islamabad: Former Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Saturday announced that he would not contest the January 8 general election for “personal reasons” amid reports of growing differences between him and ruling PML-Q chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain. “I will not contest the general election,” Aziz, who completed his term as Premier on November 15, told a news conference that was also attended by Hussain.