At least three people were killed and around 12 injured Friday as Pakistan geared up for its crucial parliamentary elections at the weekend after a relatively short campaign marred by deadly violence. A motorbike rigged with explosives was detonated in Khawaja Janmarket in Miranshah, the main town of the North Waziristan tribal district, a security official said. A bus passing through the market was caught in the blast, he said on condition of anonymity, adding most victims were passengers. The target was not clear but some independent candidates contesting Saturday's parliamentary vote reportedly had offices in the market area. Separately, at least five people were injured in a bomb attack at the election office of the Pakistan People's Party in the Barori road area in Quetta, the capital of the south-western province of Balochistan, Dawn News television reported. The bombings occurred as election authorities made final deliveries under military escort of ballot papers to nearly 70,000 polling stations, local news channels reported. The national vote will mark the first transition in the country's history from one elected government to another after a full five-year term.
