Pakistani army chief visits tribal town after blast kills 22

Pakistani army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Sunday visited a tribal town one day after a Taliban bomb killed 22 Shiite Muslims and injured nearly 50 others there, the military said.

The army chief traveled to Parachinar, capital of Kurram Agency, and met the injured of the blast in hospital.

He also met with tribal elders to express solidarity with the bereaved families.

"Expressing his grief on the incident, General Qamar Javed Bajwa lauded the support of tribal brethren in combating terrorism and acknowledged their sacrifices for peace," an army statement said.

He said that with their support, the army, the paramilitary Frontier Corps and other law enforcement agencies have done a great job in stabilizing the area.

In the wake of the blast, main local tribes - Turi and Bangash tribes - have announced a three-day mourning period. Special gatherings were organized to offer prayers for those died in the terrorist attack.

Shiite and Sunni groups in the region condemned the attack, saying they would maintain sectarian harmony in the area.

Authorities are investigating the blast and seven suspects have been arrested.

The local administrator, Shahid Ali Khan, said that body parts of an unidentified man have been sent for DNA test to determine whether it was a suicide attack.

The outlawed Taliban group claimed responsibility for the attack. Authorities said it was an IED (improvised explosive device) blast and the explosives were packed in a fruit crate. Endit