Deaths from Pakistan election rally blast up to 25

People stand near a man injured from an explosion, at a local hospital in Pakistani tribal area of Parachinar, Monday, May 6, 2013. AP photo

PARACHINAR, Pakistan— A government official says the death toll from a Taliban bombing of a political rally held by an Islamist party in northwestern Pakistan has risen to 25.

The number of deaths from Monday’s bombing of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam party’s rally in the Kurram tribal region initially stood at 16.

Javed Khan said on Tuesday that one of the wounded passed away and eight more people were found to have died in the blast but their bodies were so mutilated they weren’t brought to the hospital.

Khan said five of the 70 wounded remain in critical condition.

The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the bombing, saying it was targeting a candidate who supported operations against the militants.

The Taliban have staged multiple attacks in the run-up to the May 11 elections.