A former provincial minister and three other people have been killed in a bomb attack at north-western Pakistani town of Hangu

Asif Ali Zardari

A former provincial minister and three other people have been killed in a bomb attack near the north-western Pakistani town of Hangu, police said.Ghani ur-Rhaman, a former North-West Frontier Province education minister, died when a roadside bomb exploded next to the car in which he was travelling. His driver, bodyguard and a friend were also killed, officials said. The attack comes two days after 99 people were killed by an explosion at a volleyball tournament in Lakki Marwat.

The US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, condemned the attack and said Washington would continue supporting Pakistan’s efforts to combat extremism and bolster democracy. For his part, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari said such actions would not weaken his government’s resolve to fight terrorism. Lakki Marwat lies in an area regarded as a Taliban stronghold until recently, when the militants were driven out by the Pakistani army.

President Asif Ali Zardari possibility of corruption charges

Asif Ali Zardari

Pakistan’s Supreme Court has ordered a hearing on a petition against the amnesty granted two years ago that has protected the President Asif Ali Zardari and other senior officials of the possibility of corruption charges.

Former President Pervez Musharraf ordered the amnesty, in part to revoke a pending corruption charges against former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and allow him back into the country from exile. Commandment amnesty covers about 8000 people but it had expired last Saturday.

Federal court is scheduled to begin hearings on the petition was dated December 7.

Benazir Bhutto returned to Pakistan after the amnesty order to begin again his political career, but not long before he was murdered. Her husband, a businessman who once was imprisoned in the past on charges of corruption, then became president of Pakistan after General Musharraf to resign.