'Suicide blast in Pakistan kills two'

A suicide bomber blew himself up as he tried to enter a house owned by a member of Pakistan's ruling coalition, killing at least two people but missing the politician.

A suicide bomber blew himself up as he tried to enter a house owned by a member of Pakistan's ruling coalition on Thursday, killing at least two people but missing the politician, police said.

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The bombing happened in the northwestern town of Charsadda, outside a guest house belonging to Asfandyar Wali Khan, head of the Awami National Party (ANP), local police official Liaqat Khan told AFP.

The politician was not hurt in the attack, which occurred as he was visiting a guest in the building as part of celebrations for the Muslim festival of Eid-al-Fitr, policeman Khan said.

"Asfandyar Wali is safe," he said.

The ANP is a secular party supporting the rights of ethnic Pashtuns and Taliban militants have carried out several attacks on its political rallies and its leaders.

A senior party member said that one of Asfandyar Wali Khan's armed guards was killed in the latest attack.

"The incident happened outside the hujra (guest house). One suicide bomber was trying to enter, he was stopped but the bomber blasted himself. The guard was killed," the party member, Haji Adeel, told Dawn television.