BHAKKAR: Twenty people were killed and 53 others injured, 15 of them critically, in a suicide blast that ripped through the dera of MNA Rasheed Akbar Khan Nawani in Bhakkar on Monday.

The Interior Ministry has confirmed the deaths of 20 people but put the number of injured at 35.

The MNA was among the injured. Some of the wounded are in serious condition, DSP Bhakkar Khadim Hussain said.

He said people were exchanging Eid greetings with the MNA at the time of the blast.

“It will be premature to say who is responsible for the attack,” the DSP said adding, evidence is being collected from the blast site which was cordoned off by the police.

The head of the suicide bomber has been found.

A suicide jacket was also found from the site of the blast while an Afghan currency note was found on the suicide attacker, a Geo News correspondent reported.

Saeed Akbar Nawani, brother of MNA Rasheed Akbar Nawani has confirmed that the latter remained safe and only received minor bruises.

According to details, MNA Rasheed Akbar Nawani was exchanging Eid greetings with the people who gathered at his ‘Dera’ when a man with curly hair entered the place and tried to get close to the MNA but failed, as the place was jam-packed with people. He then detonated the explosives strapped on him which ripped his body into pieces and killed 20 others and injured 53.

The injured were brought to District Headquarter Hospital Bhakkar.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister, Yousuf Raza Gilani Monday condemned the suicide attack in strongest terms.

No one has so far claimed responsibility of the attack, DSP Bhakkar Khadim Hussain said.