Secretary-General strongly condemns latest deadly bomb attack in Pakistan

WFP’s office in Islamabad after the bomb blast

9 October 2009 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has strongly condemned today’s bombing at a marketplace in the north-western Pakistani city of Peshawar that has killed at least 49 people and injured many more and is the latest in a string of deadly attacks across the country.

Media reports say a suspected suicide bomber inside a car laden with explosives struck the Khyber Bazaar around noon.

Today’s explosion occurred just days after a suicide bomber killed five United Nations staff members when he struck the Islamabad headquarters of the World Food Programme (WFP).

“No cause can justify such indiscriminate violence,” Mr. Ban said in a statement issued today by his spokesperson, noting that the death toll includes many women and children.

“He extends his condolences to the families of the victims and to the Government of Pakistan, and wishes those injured a full recovery.”

News Tracker: past stories on this issue

Ban condemns ‘heinous’ attack on UN food aid office in Pakistan